Government sends out emergency alert to millions of mobile phones tonight
The government has sent out an emergency alert to phones all over the UK tonight as the weather worsens, with Storm Darragh causing high winds and potential life-threatening conditions.
An alert was scheduled to be sent out to millions of Brits' mobile phones at 6.45pm today (6 December), to warn of the unsafe weather conditions that could hit certain areas overnight.
A Cabinet Office spokesperson stated: "The Met Office has issued a red warning for wind across parts of England and Wales from 3am until 11am on Saturday 7th December. In light of the damaging winds and associated disruption, the Cabinet Office will issue an Emergency Alert at 18.45pm on Friday December 6 to people in areas covered by the red warning in parts of Wales and the South West.
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"The Emergency Alert system will send a message to every compatible mobile phone in the impacted areas, containing information about the red warning and guidance on how to stay safe into Saturday.
"This will be the largest ever use of the system outside a test scenario. Mobile phones will make a loud siren-like sound even if they are set on silent.
"The sound and vibration will last for about 10 seconds."
Residents in Devon, Bath and North East Somerset, the City of Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Somerset, Isle of Anglesey, Gwynedd, Conwy, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Bridgend, Vale of Glamorgan, Cardiff, Monmouthshire and Newport will have received the alert.
The Met Office issued a red weather warning for parts of Wales and south west England, with the worst affected places seeing winds of 70 to 80mph - even 90mph.
Met Office Chief Forecaster, Jason Kelly, said: “The worst impacts from Storm Darragh will be felt as we go through the early hours of tomorrow (7 December) morning and throughout Saturday with, in addition to the broad yellow warning, red and amber wind warnings in place from 1 am tomorrow.
"In the red warning area, we could see wind gusts of up to 90 miles per hour along the coasts of west and south Wales as well as funnelling through the Bristol Channel, with some very large waves on exposed beaches.
“Although there is a lower likelihood of impacts outside of the red and amber warning areas this doesn’t mean you won’t see them."
According to the Met Office, there is a risk of flying debris and falling trees which could pose a 'danger to life', as well as 'large coastal waves and beach material' also posing a hazard.
People's homes and buildings too can be damaged, while power lines are expected to be affected, as well as mobile phone coverage.
Expect delays and cancellations on all modes of transport.
The warning has led to a number of cancelled events on Saturday (7 December), such as Christmas markets, as it is in place from 3am to 11am on the day.
An amber warning has also been issued to the wider portion of the west coast, from Cornwall to the south of Scotland, though this will be in place from 1am to 9pm on Saturday.
It is the fourth storm of the season, which will bring heavy rain across the nation.
Joshua Nair