Storm Francis is set to hit the UK this week, Met Office has said.

The yellow warning put in place for strong winds comes after reports about Storm Ellen which brought gusts of up to 44mph on Friday (August 21).

The warning originally covered mainland England but it is now featuring other areas across the country including Scotland.

The weather forecaster has said that a spell of strong winds is likely to develop across the southwest of England and Wales later tomorrow (August 25) morning.

Watford Observer:

The yellow warning has now spread to other areas in the UK. Credit: Met Office

The storm could then spread across eastern parts of the country during the afternoon and evening, clearing into the North Sea on Wednesday (August 26) morning.

According to Met Office gusts are likely to reach 55-60 mph for a few places, with exposed coasts and hills seeing gusts of around 70 mph.

For the Hertfordshire, Essex and London areas, gusts of up to 44mph and rain are expected tomorrow. 

The Met Office said the storm could lead to disruption to travel and power supplies along with potential damage to trees.

Road, rail, air and ferry services may also be affected, and there could be cancellations to travel services and longer journey times.