Britain gears up for worst storm in two decades

Frank Saunders,chief forecaster at the UKs Met Office,said,We are confident that a severe storm will affect Britain on Sunday night and Monday. We are now looking at refining the details about which areas will see the strongest winds and the heaviest rain.

Met Office has issued an amber alert warning and gusts of up to 120 kmph are predicted in the south-west of England,moving north and eastwards overnight Sunday.

There are fears of falling trees,buildings being damaged and disruption to power supplies and travel. Roads may be hit by flash flooding,bringing rush hour traffic Monday morning to a halt,and homes could be flooded.

BBC Weather presenter Nick Miller said the storm is in a developing and deepening area of low pressure in the Atlantic which developed off the east coast of the US.

He said,there are still some uncertainties about just how strong the winds will be,but a heavy band of rain across England and Wales would result in standing water and spray during rush hour Monday.

The worst of the storm will have moved into North Sea by lunchtime Monday,he added. But the storm is expected to intensify near the coast before it strikes with full force,with a strong jetstream and warm air close to the UK contributing to its development and strength.

St Jude is being compared to the Great Storm of 1987,which had left 22 people dead in England and France.