Gale force winds are set to batter the northern half of the country, causing travel chaos as Brits prepare for an Easter getaway.
A yellow weather warning has been issued for very strong winds in Scotland, Northern Ireland and parts of north Wales and northern England.
The high winds are expected to batter parts of the country, with the warning lasting from 6pm on Saturday until 12pm on Easter Sunday.
Gusts of 50-60mph are expected across northern parts of the UK but could rise to as high as 90mph in western areas of Scotland.
Strong winds could cause a nightmare for holidaymakers who have been warned to expect traffic jams, as well as delays to rail, air and ferry transport.
The weather could also cause damage to buildings and power lines, as forecasters have warned of power cuts which could leave some households in darkness.
They have also warned of a risk of injuries as large waves could throw rocks and stones from the beach onto roads, pavements and homes, while building tiles could also be blown from roofs.
Exposed routes and bridges could become perilous in the conditions and could cause delays for high-sided vehicles or even be closed.
The Bank Holiday Weekend will begin with an unsettled start on Good Friday, with outbreaks of rain that could become heavy in some places, with some brighter interludes.
Conditions could be blustery at times, especially in the in areas surrounding the Pennines.
Overnight on Friday, a ridge of high pressure will bring cooler air, meaning a frosty start to the day on Saturday.
Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Dan Holley said: ‘A significant cold plunge from Canada into the North Atlantic will impact our weekend weather, strengthening the jet stream and spinning up a deep area of low pressure towards the north-west of the UK on Saturday night.
‘This will lead to a spell of very strong winds later on Saturday and overnight into the morning of Easter Sunday.
‘We have issued yellow warnings for wind for Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern parts of both England and Wales for Saturday night and into Sunday, when a spell of very strong winds could cause disruption.
‘Winds should gradually ease through Easter Sunday as the area of low pressure clears to the North Sea.’
He added: ‘Due to the warnings this weekend, we recommend keeping an eye on our latest forecasts and as the week progresses.’
Tom Morgan, Met Office operational meteorologist, said that while much of the UK will see ‘unsettled’ weather by the end of the week, it does not necessarily point to a ‘washout’ over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.
‘There’s actually going to be quite a lot of dry weather, particularly across England and Wales, but it will be turning windier for all,’ he said.
‘We already have a yellow warning for wind in place. We could see some particularly damaging winds in parts of Scotland, so, it is here where we are most likely to need to escalate the warnings.
‘It is here where we could also see some disruption to ferry services, transport, bridge closures, that kind of thing, and potentially some power, power lines coming down as well.
‘So, potentially for some parts of the UK are very stormy parts of the weekend, but as I say, it’s not going to be quite so bad for the south.
‘For most, Easter Monday is looking pretty fine. Dry and bright.’
Separate figures published by the Met Office on Wednesday show March was provisionally one of the warmest on record in England and Wales.
Long periods of above average temperatures and prolonged sunshine helped Wales experience its joint fourth warmest March and England its joint sixth warmest since comparable data began in 1884.
Across the whole of the UK it was the joint 10th warmest March on record.
There was a ‘pronounced north-south split’ in terms of rain last month, with southern England seeing 37% less than the long-term average, while northern England and Scotland experienced 14% and 19% above average rainfall respectively, the Met Office said.
