Yellow weather warning for wind issued for this weekend - this is when wind speeds will be strongest in Blackpool

There will be strong gusty winds with showers that may bring some travel disruption.

Blackpool will receive showers all day until 9pm when it will lessen. Temperatures will fall in a similar pattern to Preston and westerly winds will reach up to 29mph and gusts up to 49mph.

At 6am there will be a 60% chance of rain with a temperature of eight degrees and a southwesterly wind reaching 28mph and wind gusts of 47mph.

By 9am the winds will have remained at similar speeds of 29mph but the likelihood of rain will have gone down to 30%.

Between 12pm and 3pm temperatures will be seven degrees and winds will fall from 28mph to 25mph.

At 6pm the chance of rain will be 70% and winds will be 24mph with gusts of 40mph.

By 9pm the rain will have almost ceased with there being a 10% chance with winds of 24mph and a temperature of six degrees.

The strongest winds across the north west will likely occur during the heaviest showers.

Not all areas will see the strongest winds but gusts of 55 to 65mph are expected in places.

Showers are expected to fall as a mixture of rain, hail, and sleet, potentially with snow but this will potentially be restricted to higher ground above 200 to 300 metres.

The Met Office says winds will gradually moderate during Saturday evening.

Expect some delays to road, air, rail, air, and ferry transport as some bus and train services will be affected with some journeys taking longer than usual.

There may also be delays for high-sided vehicles on exposed routes and bridges.

Some short term loss of power is possible as well as from other services.

The Met Office recommends it may be advisable to stay clear of coastal routes, sea fronts and coastal communities if possible as they will be affected by spray and large waves.

Their advice for travelling in a storm, heavy rain or strong winds is to choose to travel on main roads if possible where you are less likely to be exposed to fallen branches, debris, and flooding.

Gusts of wind can unsettle vehicles so grip your steering wheel firmly with both hands when driving, especially when planning to overtake another vehicle.

It’s advised to keep an eye out for gaps between trees, buildings or bridges over a river or railway where you are more likely to be exposed to side winds so ensure you maintain room either side of your vehicle so you can account for it being blown sideways.

Roads may also be slippery in wet weather so be sure to give yourself more time to react when approaching a hazard and increase your following gap to at least four seconds from the moving traffic in front of you.