Stormy winds and torrential downpour expected as Abigail hits Britain this weekend

Torrential rain storm dubbed "'Abigail" will bring heavy downpour and near-hurricane winds down on Britain tomorrow, with winds as high as 70mph winds and 16-foot waves. Forecasters warn potential travel disruption, power cuts and flooding, as well as damage to trees and buildings.

The Met Office expects 2in of rain, and the risk of thunder, fizzling out the thousands of bonfire celebrations for Guy Fawkes revellers this weekend. The weather is part of an unusually powerful jetstream whipping up winds as strong as 170mph.

The storm is set to hit mainly western and northern areas, with winds beginning to build up tonight (7 November) and continuing through to Monday. "This could be the strongest storm in the UK since last December," WeatherAction forecaster Piers Corbyn said.

Waves in the West are predicted to get up to five metres high, and forecasters warn of downpours that could cause traffic chaos for commuters on Monday morning.

Experts have also warned of the first sprinkling of snow could arrive in the next couple of weeks, according to the Sun.

What's in a name?

For a wind speed to be officially classified as storm force average speeds need to reach 48-55mph and gusts 55-63mph. While forecasts suggest wind gusts within this range on Sunday, the Met Office will only name a storm if it also causes "substantial impacts" to the public.

"We are only forecasting windspeeds of 50-60mph in the far northwest Sunday into Monday and therefore it is unlikely that we will be naming any storms," Laura Young Met Office Press Officer, told The Weather Network UK.

The Met Office revealed names that would be attached to storms last month. They had invited the public to name future storms in order to generate more awareness of severe weather to ensure greater safety of the public.