The UK is hit by Storm Alex this weekend as winds are expected to sweep the country at speeds of up to 150 km / h.
The strong winds and rains will devastate motorists across the country. The green flag predicts a breakdown every seven seconds, reports BBC News.
In many areas of the country 25 to 50 mm of rain will fall, with higher values expected to be around 70 to 90 mm in higher areas of Wales and south west England.
Mark Newberry, commercial manager of the puncture protection provider, advised drivers to remain cautious and ensure they pass the appropriate safety checks before going anywhere.
While RAC breakdown spokesman Rod Dennis said road conditions will be "miserable, if not downright dangerous" for drivers this weekend.
He said they need to be prepared for an "ugly mix" of surface spray, gusty winds, and most likely some disturbance on the roads.
In addition, the Met office has warned that some areas of the country could be affected by flooding as weather warnings have been issued for large areas of the country.
The British are struck by Storm Alex this weekend. Up to 25-50mm of rain is expected to fall, which will lead to flooding and mass disturbances in some areas
The green flag predicts that the intense rain caused by Storm Alex will lead to car accidents every seven seconds
Britain is preparing for Storm Alex to resume its attack as winds of 90 mph and heavy rains will hit the country over the weekend. Pictured: Waves crashed into the dam in Swanage, Devon yesterday
A couple of brave folks are wandering Soho, London, despite the heavy rain tonight as Storm Alex continues to publicize his presence
Workers are packing up chairs outside a Soho bar tonight as passers-by crowd under umbrellas as rains ravage London. The green flag predicts that heavy rain every seven seconds on weekends could cause a traffic accident
Amber weather warnings have been placed for Wales, the West Midlands, South West England and parts of Eastern Scotland.
It will rain 25-50mm in many areas of the country, with higher values expected in Snowdonia and Exmoor.
Greg Dewhurst, Met Office meteorologist, said: “It will rain all day and be terrible.
"If you need extra time on your trip, the roads can be tricky at times as visibility is poor due to the heavy rain."
This follows the damage Storm Alex did to parts of the country yesterday when trees were trampled.
People are enjoying a few drinks in a bar in Soho tonight before the 10pm curfew. Large puddles were left on the ground by the heavy rains in London and the rest of the land was already exposed
The Met office has warned that some areas of the country could experience flooding over the weekend as weather warnings were issued for large areas of the country. Pictured: Empty tables in Soho line a street that has been ravaged by rainfall
Flash floods and travel chaos are expected across the UK tomorrow and Sunday as the first named storm of autumn hits the nation.
Rain was recorded in places for more than a month after Storm Alex tore down a school roof and felled trees in Brittany, France.
Laura Ellam, deputy chief meteorologist for the Met Office, said the rain could prove "challenging and disruptive".
From now until noon on Monday, hourly downpours are forecast for parts of south-east England, putting hundreds of thousands of families on alert as commuters make a hell of a return from work today.
A maximum gust of 115 mph was recorded in Brittany last night when Alex disembarked over north-west France, which is the highest British gust for the Great Storm of 1987 – although the French record is 138 mph.
The UK speed limit today was 71 miles per hour. The storm was named Alex by French forecasters because it originated on the continent, but it would have named Aiden if it had been named by British and Irish forecasters.
DORSET: A man walks through waves as they crash along the coast at Swanage, Dorset this morning
DEVON: Big waves crashed over the dam in Brixham this afternoon as Storm Alex hits the south west of England
KENT: Waves hit the harbor wall in Folkestone this afternoon due to storms in parts of Britain
Widespread blackouts have hit southern England and Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks saw unplanned outages in more than 20 areas including Portsmouth, Southampton and cities east of Reading.
Western Power Distribution has also recorded incidents in Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset. In addition, outages affected nearly 1,230 homes in Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire and 550 in Crawley, West Sussex.
Power board engineers worked to restore supplies in increasingly cruel conditions, but as the wind increased, there was a risk that trees could be blown onto overhead cables.
Runners completing 26.2 miles of the London Marathon on Sunday are likely to experience rain and high winds. While elite runners ride a circuit, 45,000 other participants choose their own route, which is followed by an app.
However, the Met Office doesn't expect it to be the wettest marathon ever. That record was in 1983 when Greenwich fell 22.6mm of rain, while the windiest one was in 1986 when Kew Gardens recorded 35 miles per hour.
Bad Essex weather today as rush hour traffic drove home in the pouring rain on the A12 Ingatestone bypass in Essex for the weekend
A general view of the Macmillan Cancer Support Handicap runners walking down the track at the Ascot circuit in foggy rain today
A car was pictured upside down on the side of the road as rush hour traffic drove down the A12 Ingatestone bypass in Essex
A weather warning from Amber asked the British to be aware that spray mist and flooding can make driving conditions difficult. Some communities may be cut off from flooded roads.
LONDON: A fallen tree is blocking traffic on Kingston Hill in South West London in wet and windy conditions this morning
DEVON: Trains continue to run on the recently upgraded rail line in Dawlish today when Storm Alex hits the UK
SUSSEX: Storm Alex hits Brighton this morning as southern England is under a rain and wind warning
DORSET: People are cleaning up rocks in Swanage, Dorset today that were brought in from the sea when Storm Alex arrived
CORNWALL: A car accident in Redruth this morning when Devon and Cornwall Police said driving conditions were "awful".
LONDON: People walk across Westminster Bridge in heavy rain today as severe weather hits parts of the UK
DORSET: The A35 in Dorchester is closed due to flooding after heavy night rain from Storm Alex
KENT: Cars are driving through the rain on the M20 in Folkestone today as motorists are exposed to dangerous conditions in the southeast
DORSET: A person watches waves crash on the promenade in Swanage, which is now protected by sandbags
LONDON: People are walking and cycling through Piccadilly Circus as heavy rain hit the capital this afternoon
DORSET: Waves break on the Swanage promenade today during Storm Alex as heavy rain hits southern England
Heavy rain sweeps over southern England (left) this morning, along with strong winds, especially on the coast (right).
Today's weather warning is for the southern counties of England from Cornwall to Kent and for South Wales and Herefordshire until 8 p.m. At 8 a.m. today, Alex was centered near the channel island of Alderney.
Up to two inches of rain can fall while storm winds hit 65 miles per hour on exposed coasts and 55 miles per hour inland. The Met Office warns of flooding and "dangerous" driving conditions due to spray and strong winds.
After the storm, a second system will bring more heavy rain over the weekend. This has triggered a second series of weather warnings covering almost all of England, all of Wales and the east side of Scotland.
DEVON: A fishing vessel left its berths today and landed on the rocks at the mouth of Brixham Harbor
DORSET: Workers drop sandbags in Swanage during Storm Alex as storm hits the south coast
DORSET: A Lamborghini driver makes his way through the floods near the exclusive sandbanks in Dorset this afternoon
LONDON: People in the rain in Uxbridge, west London, this morning as the capital is hit by storms
LONDON: Today final preparations are being made for the London Marathon, which will take place on a closed circuit in St. James & # 39; s Park
DORSET: People watch as waves crash along the coast at Swanage, Dorset this morning and Storm Alex sweeps into the UK
LONDON: People in the rain in Uxbridge, West London, this morning as the Met Office issued a series of weather warnings
LONDON: A fallen tree hit a van in wet and windy conditions today, blocking traffic on Kingston Hill in south west London
LONDON: Joggers and cyclists brave the rain and stormy conditions at Wimbledon Common in south west London today
DORSET: People watch as waves crash along the coast this morning at Swanage, Dorset in the difficult conditions
DEVON: Huge waves hit the dam in Dawlish this morning as a train passes by and Storm sweeps Alex into the UK
DORSET: Waves crash along the coast in Swanage this morning as parts of Britain are lashed by heavy rain and winds
LONDON: Final preparations for the 40th London Marathon route in the capital will be made this afternoon
DORSET: Waves crash along the coast in Swanage this morning as parts of Britain are lashed by heavy rain and winds
LONDON: A woman walks through the rain in Westmister today as people hide from the downpours under umbrellas
DORSET: People watch waves crash along the coast this morning at Swanage, Dorset
LONDON: A dog walker braves heavy rain and stormy conditions on Wimbledon Common in south west London today
DORSET: A Coast Guard member watches waves crash along the coast this morning at Swanage, Dorset
LONDON: A pedestrian walks across Westminster Bridge in the rain this morning with the London Eye seen in the background this morning
DORSET: Waves hit the coast at Swanage this morning as Storm Alex crossed parts of the UK
LONDON: A woman is walking her dog on Hampton Court Bridge in south west London in wet and windy conditions this morning
DORSET: Damage to seaside beach huts in Swanage this morning as severe weather hits the area
LONDON: A man crossed London Bridge in strong winds and rain this morning with Tower Bridge in the background
LONDON: A pedestrian shelter under an umbrella as they walk in heavy rain today in Notting Hill, West London
DORSET: The sun is rising behind the clouds as waves crash along the coast this morning at Swanage, Dorset
LONDON: People wait at a bus stop in the rain on Westminster Bridge this morning as Storm Alex sweeps across the UK
KENT: A car drives through the rain on the M20 in Folkestone this morning in the dire conditions in the southeast
The warnings last from 3 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday – and include a warning of danger to life due to the possibility of fast flowing or deep flooding.
"There is little chance some churches will be cut off," the Met Office explains. There is also a risk of landslides and “very difficult driving conditions”.
Met Office spokeswoman Bonnie Diamond said: “What is unusual is that the weather system that was introduced on Saturday is coming from the east rather than the south-west.
'It means eastern counties, which are usually better protected, will bear the brunt of the system. Over the weekend, some locations were able to see more than the average rainfall for all of October. & # 39;
The wettest conditions will be in eastern Scotland, but very heavy rain is also expected on the plateaus of Wales and south-west England.
SUSSEX: People watch waves crash the promenade and pier on the Brighton coast this afternoon
LONDON: A pedestrian walks across Westminster Bridge in the rain this morning while his umbrella is blown inside out
DORSET: A small boat can be seen on the boardwalk as waves crash into Swanage during Storm Alex today
LONDON: Eine Frau namens Karime geht heute Morgen in Westmister durch den Regen, als stürmische Bedingungen die Hauptstadt treffen
KENT: Ein Mercedes E220 fährt heute in Folkestone auf dem M20 durch den Regen, während Teile Großbritanniens von Stürmen heimgesucht werden
LONDON: Die Leute laufen heute Morgen im Regen auf der Westminster Bridge unter Regenschirmen, als Storm Alex in Großbritannien ankommt
LONDON: Zwei Frauen warten heute Morgen im Regen in der Nähe des Londoner Bahnhofs Waterloo, als die Hauptstadt heute von einem Sturm heimgesucht wird
LONDON: Eine Frau kämpft mit einem Regenschirm, als sie heute Morgen bei starkem Wind und Regen die London Bridge überquert
SUSSEX: Storm Alex trifft heute Morgen die Küste von Brighton in East Sussex, da Teile Großbritanniens von Unwettern heimgesucht werden
LONDON: Der Regenschirm eines Fußgängers wird heute bei starkem Wind und Regen in Notting Hill in West-London von innen nach außen geweht
LONDON: Eine Frau kämpft mit einem Regenschirm, als sie heute Morgen bei starkem Wind und Regen die London Bridge überquert
SCHOTTLAND: Teile Schottlands genießen heute schönes Wetter, wobei der Efeu auf Liberton Kirk in Edinburgh in der Sonne abgebildet ist
NORTHUMBERLAND: Der Vollernte-Mond geht heute Morgen über einer Baumreihe in Old Hartley in Northumberland unter
NORTH BERWICK: Der Harvest Moon steht heute auf dem Renaissance Club-Golfplatz hinter einem Schild mit der Aufschrift "Schottland"
FRANKREICH: Das Dach einer High School stürzte auf einer Straße ein, nachdem Storm Alex heute in Vannes die Küste der französischen Bretagne getroffen hatte
FRANCE: A man walks by a collapsed tree this morning after Storm Alex striked the coast of French Brittany in Vannes
Between 100-125mm (4-5in) of rain is expected in the worst-hit places, with one to two inches elsewhere. The normal average rainfall for the whole of October is 127.1mm (5in) in the UK and 91.7mm (3.8in) in England.
The most significant rain is due tomorrow before turning more showery on Sunday but some places could still see heavy downpours.
Chief meteorologist at the Met Office, Steve Ramsdale described the forecast as a 'miserable end to the working week' and warned of gales before another band of wet weather arrives for larger swathes of the country.
He added: 'As the strong winds and rain associated with Storm Alex clear away from Britain later on Friday, another low-pressure system moves towards the UK from the east bringing further very heavy rain and strong winds to many over the weekend.'
The Met Office's concerns were echoed by the Environment Agency, which said: 'Heavy rain will bring the potential for surface water flooding and perhaps some river flooding across the south of England on Friday.
'More widespread and persistent heavy rain across much of England will bring the potential for further river and surface water flooding over the weekend.
'We urge people to stay away from swollen rivers and not to drive though flood water, it is often deeper than it looks and just 30cm of flowing water is enough to float your car.'
Miss Diamond added: 'On Monday it is due to become a little less unsettled and windy. There is still due to be a chance of showers but it certainly won't be as wet. The weather is due to stay unsettled into next week.'
And RAC breakdown spokesman Rod Dennis said: 'Heavy rain will make road conditions miserable if not downright dangerous for drivers this weekend, and they'll need to be prepared for an ugly mix of surface spray, gusty winds and more than likely some disruption on the roads.
'Floods are also a possibility so drivers should remember never to attempt to drive through water unless they know for sure that it's shallow enough. For drivers who are unlucky enough to breakdown in the horrid conditions, our patrols will be working around the clock to get them moving again.'
Looking further ahead, the Met Office said unsettled weather is forecast to continue until the middle of the month.
Its forecast states: 'An unsettled picture is likely for this period, with all parts of the country seeing showery spells as well as times of more prolonged rainfall.
'Southern and western areas are expected to see the worst of these conditions with the most frequent and heaviest rainfall. Drier and calmer conditions could be seen at times, but likely only for short interludes.
'Largely windy for most of the country during this period, with a risk of gales at times, particularly along western and south-western coasts. Overall, it is likely to feel rather cold.'
A drier spell, with the chance of sunny days but fog and frost by night, is not expected until the second half of the coming month.
** Have you taken any photographs or videos of Storm Alex? Email: pictures@mailonline.co.uk **
How the Great Storm of 1987 claimed 18 lives, flattened 15million trees, caused damage costing £1.5billion and saw Michael Fish lampooned forevermore
The Great Storm of 1987 battered England and Wales, leaving 18 people dead and causing £1.5billion worth of damage to the economy.
In the early hours of October 16 winds peaked at 115mph, damaging buildings and felling 15million trees in the south east of England.
Millions of homes were left without power for at least a few hours, with some having no electricity for days as trees fell on power lines, disrupting supplies.
Whilst most of England and Wales experienced wet and windy weather that night, it was southern and eastern parts of England that were worst hit. A ship capsized at Dover, and a Channel ferry was driven ashore near Folkestone.
Damage in London after the Great Storm of 1987 which left 18 people dead and causing £1.5billion worth of damage to the economy
Planes were turned upside down at Stapleford Abbotts airfield near Epping in Essex during the Great Storm of October 1987
Veteran weatherman Michael Fish bore the brunt for famously telling the nation there was no hurricane in the offing, just hours before it arrived.
At the time Mr Fish told viewers tuning into the broadcast: 'Earlier on today, apparently, a woman rang the BBC and said she heard there was a hurricane on the way; well, if you're watching, don't worry, there isn't, but having said that, actually, the weather will become very windy, but most of the strong winds, incidentally, will be down over Spain and across into France.'
But in 2011, one of his former colleagues finally stepped forward to take the blame for the Met Office's botched forecast.
Bill Giles, who was chief forecaster at the time, admitted that he was in fact responsible for the lunchtime broadcast on October 15 in 1987.
A Sealink ferry was forced onto dry land by the extreme winds that hit England and Wales in October 1987
It was the worst storm since 1703 and a public enquiry was announced shortly after the storm and an internal enquiry was conducted by the Met Office.
The official forecaster wrote: 'We now know that the strength of the storm was boosted by a phenomenon known as the 'Sting Jet', where cold dry air descends into storms high in the atmosphere.
'Rain or snow falling into this jet of air evaporates and cools the air further, adding more energy which translates into stronger winds. By the time this 'sting in the tail' reaches the ground it can produce winds of 100mph which are concentrated over a small area.
'In 1987, no-one knew sting jets even existed, but now they are well understood and included in forecast models. The storm which affected Scotland in December 2011 was boosted by a sting jet, explaining the maximum gust speed of 164mph recorded on top of Cairngorm.'
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