Storm Éowyn set to batter the UK with up to 90mph winds

Storm Éowyn has been named by the Met Office and will bring severe gales to parts of the United Kingdom on Friday.

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for wind on Friday and Saturday.

Gusts of up to 90mph (145km/h) – or possibly even more – could bring localised damage, power cuts and travel disruption. Heavy rain and hill snow are also expected.

It will mark a big change from the quiet and rather cold weather that has dominated over the last week or so.

Storm Éowyn – pronounced “ay-oh-win” – will undergo rapid development during Thursday as it moves across the Atlantic

While some of the details may still change, depending on the exact track Éowyn takes in the UK, the strongest winds on Friday are likely across parts of Northern Ireland, southern Scotland, northern and western areas of England and Wales.

The Met Office warns of gusts between 80-90mph (129-145km/h) around hills coastal areas of the Irish Sea.

But widely gusts of 60-70mph (97-113km/h) are expected through the day.

Elsewhere, across northern and western Scotland, parts of the Midlands and southern England, gusts of 50-65mph (80-105km/h) are expected but around coastal areas up to 80mph (129km/h).

Met Office yellow warnings are likely to be adjusted and possibly upgraded ahead of Friday.

These gales and severe gales are likely to bring travel disruption and some damage, which could include roof tiles being blown off and power cuts.

Large waves are also expected with coastal overtopping.

Outbreaks of rain are also expected and while it will turn milder for some – especially in the south – it will remain cold enough for snow to fall over hills in Scotland, northern England and Northern Ireland.

Over recent days the jet stream close to the UK has been fairly weak and diffuse in nature. This has allowed high pressure to linger close by, keeping any powerful weather systems away from our shores.

But events on the other side of the Atlantic mean that is now changing.

Frigid Arctic air is surging southwards across North America bringing life-threatening wind chills with snow as far south as Texas and Louisiana.

The contrast between this extremely cold air mass and much milder air further south is going to “supercharge” the jet stream. The winds in the core of the jet are forecast to exceed 260mph (418km/h) above the Atlantic.

This huge injection of energy high up in the atmosphere will cause Storm Éowyn to deepen rapidly as it heads towards the UK and it is this that brings the threat of gales and disruption.

Keep up to date with the latest forecasts and warnings for your area with BBC Weather online or on the app.