Storm Ashley tracker: Hour-by-hour weather maps show 80mph 'danger to life' storm smashing Britain

Terrifying weather maps show the path Storm Ashley is set to take as it bears down on the UK bringing torrential rains and 80 mph wind.

Gales are due to hit some areas with the warning of a ‘danger to life’ while torrential rain is due to cause disruption and potentially closing roads as the government issues hundreds of flood warnings.

“Injuries and danger to life is likely from large waves and beach material being thrown onto coastal roads, sea fronts and properties,” the forecaster warned. Meanwhile Environment Agency has issued dozens of flood warnings ahead of Storm Ashley with 36 red flood warnings in place in England and Wales meaning “flooding is expected” as well as a further 128 orange flood alerts in place meaning “flooding is possible”.

The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) currently has 15 flood warnings and 14 flood alerts. “Coastal flooding impacts are likely around much of the coast around the times of high tide,” the agency warned.

The Met Office has issued an amber warning for the west coast of with forecasters warning there is a “good chance” of power cuts as the storm tears into the UK at around 9am on Sunday.

Meanwhile a yellow weather warning covers a much wider swathe of the UK from 3am on Sunday morning warning of damage to buildings, power cuts and injuries and danger to life from the high speed winds.

Weather maps show the storm vortex moving across the Atlantic battering the west coast of Ireland and Northern Ireland before the tempest makes in presence felt in Britain. As the centre of the storm moves north and west, high winds will whip the UK with gusts of up to 80mph in Scotland while Wales is forecast to see gusts of up to 65 mph with similar windspeeds in north west England. The winds are set to get stronger throughout the day before dissipating on Monday.

Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Tony Wisson, said: “Storm Ashley will bring strong winds for most of the UK on Sunday before it clears on Monday, with a chance of some disruption across parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland, Northwest England and West Wales.

“A period of especially strong winds are expected on Sunday afternoon and evening in western Scotland, where gusts could potentially reach 70-80mph in exposed areas and an Amber warning for winds has been issued here. More generally 50-60 mph are possible in some inland areas in other parts of the warning area, especially Northern Ireland and western Scotland, and perhaps up to 60-70 mph along exposed coasts and hills. These strong winds in conjunction with high spring tides, may cause some disruption.”