RESIDENTS have been warned to prepare for floods and strong winds as Storm Dennis hits the area this weekend.

Severe weather warnings are in place for most of the UK - and forecasters say a month's worth of rain could fall in some places.

Travel disruption is also likely, and drivers have been advised to take care when travelling and consider whether the journey is necessary before setting out.

Storm Dennis will persist into Sunday, with very strong winds and outbreaks of heavy rain continuing.

Further high rainfall amounts are expected, with a continued risk of flooding.

The Environment Agency (EA) said the flood impact from the weather system is likely to be worse than last weekend’s Storm Ciara due to rain falling on already saturated ground.

The Met Office is warning of possible power cuts and said cancellations to public transport was likely.

Met Office chief meteorologist, Steve Willington, said: “Following Storm Ciara last weekend and further spells of rain this week, the ground is already saturated in places.

"With Storm Dennis bringing further heavy and persistent rain over the weekend, there is a risk of significant impacts from flooding, including damage to property and a danger to life from fast flowing floodwater.

“Our advice is to keep an eye on the latest weather forecast and weather warnings for your area and to follow the safety advice from officials.”

Following Storm Ciara last weekend, residents saw the aftermath as trees had fallen, which caused disruption to roads and power cables to be damaged.