UK households must 'shut all doors' from 6am to 12pm

UK households are being told to close all their doors, trap doors, attic doors and windows on Monday as extreme 90mph winds are forecast to batter parts of the country under an amber weather warning.

The Met Office has warned that Storm Floris will bring "unseasonably strong winds" to the UK from 6am, with two separate warnings - a yellow warning for the north of England, Wales and Scotland, and an amber warning for Scotland, both due to severely strong winds and gusts of up to 90mph.

A yellow weather warning has been issued from 6am on Monday, August 4, until 6am on 11.59pm, covering 68 regions of the UK. The national forecaster says inland areas are likely to see gusts of up to 50mph, with wind speeds of up to 70mph possible along exposed coasts and high ground, particularly in Scotland. An amber weather warning has been put in place in Scotland, covering a further 28 regions.

Ahead of the arrival of Storm Floris, households are being urged to lock their doors and windows to protect their homes and gardens from the powerful gusts.

The Met Office says in its advice linked to the storms on how to stay safe in strong winds that households should close all their doors and securely fasten them in place.

It says: "Close and securely fasten doors and windows, particularly those on the windward side of the house, and especially large doors such as those on garages."

This also goes for trapdoors and attic doors: "Close and secure loft trapdoors with bolts, particularly if roof pitch is less than 30°."

Households are also advised to remove any loose items from gardens, such as outdoor lights, lanterns, hanging baskets and mirrors, as these could easily smash and break in blustery conditions.

Steven Walley, landscaper and gardening expert from London Stone, said: "Nature is extremely powerful and heavy wind and rain can cause severe damage to your garden through flying debris or flooding.

"To prevent as much harm as possible, it's important to ensure we're taking precautions to protect our homes in harsh weather conditions. Make sure all doors and windows are locked shut. If you know a storm or weather warning is set to take place in your region, start taking precautions.

"First, make sure that there are no obvious entry points by making sure all windows and doors are locked shut. This will help to prevent damage from heavy rain seeping in and will help to reduce pressure on windows from strong winds."

Additionally, washing lines, gardening tools and outdoor furniture should be packed up and stored away to avoid them blowing over and causing damage in your garden or to the outside of your property.

The Met Office said in its amber warning: "Storm Floris will bring a spell of unusually strong west or northwesterly winds to much of Scotland during Monday.

"Gusts of 50 to 70 mph are expected for many parts, and are likely to reach 80 to 90 mph on some exposed coasts, hills and bridges.

"Western coastal areas will see the highest gusts between late morning and early afternoon, the strongest winds then transferring to northeastern Scotland by late afternoon/early evening."

In its yellow weather warning for England, it added: "Across the warning area, many inland areas are likely to see gusts of 40 to 50 mph with 60 to 70 mph possible along exposed coasts and high ground, especially Scotland. During the height of the storm, winds over parts of Scotland will be even higher and this is covered by a separate amber warning."