Dave’s Gone Amber

The Met Office has upgraded its weather warning to amber as Storm Dave approaches the island.

The warning is in force from 6pm tonight (Saturday) until 3am on Sunday.

Forecasters say south to south-west winds will strengthen this evening, with gusts of 60-70mph expected across the island and a risk of 70–80mph in exposed locations.

The Met Office says these conditions could bring down trees and branches, with a small risk of structural damage to buildings.

Winds are expected to ease towards midnight and into the early hours of Sunday, becoming a moderate to fresh westerly by tomorrow morning.

There is also a risk of large waves during the overnight high tide at around 2am.

Even though winds should be easing by that point, the large tide combined with strong winds could see significant waves breaking over exposed coastal areas, particularly in parts of the south of the island.

Some promenades – including the northern end of Douglas promenade – may also be affected, with debris likely to be left behind.

The Met Office says major harbour or quayside flooding is not expected, but some of the most susceptible areas may see minor water ingress for a short time.

Locations near the River Sulby in Ramsey could see some water, while Castletown flood defences are expected to be deployed as a precaution.

Forecasters say the situation will continue to be monitored closely and the warning will be updated if conditions change.