Heavy rain and raging winds are wreaking havoc as Britain braces for three days of thunderstorms and weather conditions that pose a danger to life.
Festivals and events have been cancelled and the Premier League faces a soggy start to the season as forecasters predict a washout with 60mph wind gusts and up to 60mm of torrential rain up and down the country.
Motorists have been told to avoid travelling if possible amid another round of possible flooding, power cuts and travel disruption.
The Met Office is telling Britons to prepare for 54 hours of wild weather, issuing a mix of wind, rain and thunderstorm warnings affecting almost the entire country.
Heavy rain and thunderstorms moving eastwards hit an area from Bristol to Northern Ireland overnight, causing poor driving conditions, as things took a dramatic turn for the worse.
"There is some fairly heavy rain and thunderstorms from Bristol, up through Wales and into Northern Ireland," a spokesman for the Met Office told PA.
"That will transfer eastwards over the next few hours, causing poor driving conditions in places."
Two music festivals were cancelled over the weather and other events, including the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, were also scaled back as a low-pressure system causes disruption.
The balloon festival has cancelled Friday's mass ascents.
Houghton, a Norfolk dance music festival, was cancelled just hours before it was due to start, its "devastated" organisers announced on Facebook.
The decision was taken after Boardmasters, in Newquay, was called off on Wednesday.
The three-day blast threatens to be the worst storm since Hannah hit in April.
The Met Office said westerly regions will be hit first as it issued a yellow wind warning beginning on Friday afternoon, covering West Wales, Devon and Cornwall, and stretching to parts of the Channel coast.
A second warning will then come into force on Saturday covering the whole of Wales and southern and central England as far north as Blackpool, Huddersfield and Grimsby.
The strong gusts sweeping around the coasts could bring delays to ferry transport on Friday.
As it increases its intensity overnight, gusts over 50mph across the central and south-eastern part of England could see air traffic disruption as well.
Neil Armstrong, chief meteorologist at the Met Office, said: "This low-pressure system will bring challenging conditions, including unseasonably strong winds and heavy rain, from the west during Friday and Saturday.
"Summer storms - compared with those in autumn and winter - always have the potential to create additional impacts because more people are likely to be outdoors, especially by the coast.
"Additionally with trees in full leaf they are more vulnerable to being brought down by strong winds."
Warnings are also in place at Whaley Bridge, where around 1,500 residents were recently allowed home after the damaged Toddbrook Reservoir was deemed safe.
The weather warnings will be cut back on Sunday to cover only northern England, where thunderstorms are likely, and none are currently in place for Monday.
The Met Office had previously described the conditions as "more like autumn than August" and forecast winds of up to 60mph in some places.
Northern England, Scotland and Northern Ireland may also be hit by thunderstorms over the weekend.
Richard Leonard, head of road safety at Highways England, urged drivers to check conditions before they travel and "consider if their journey is necessary".
"In high winds, there's a particular risk to lorries, caravans and motorbikes so we'd advise drivers of these vehicles to slow down and avoid using exposed sections of road if possible," he said.
The RNLI has also warned people visiting the coast to beware of large waves and storms.
Ross Macleod, RNLI's Respect the Water campaign manager, added: “If you’re heading to the coast, beware of large waves and stay away from the edge – even from shore, large breaking waves can sweep you off your feet and drag you out to sea.
"Check your surroundings – storms can change the landscape of some beaches, changing or damaging access points.
“If you find yourself in difficulty in the water, remember to relax and float on your back – this will give you a chance to regain control of your breathing.
"If you see someone else in danger, never enter the water yourself as you could end up in trouble too."
Met Office five-day weather forecast:
Friday:
Rain, heavy at times, clearing northwards, but persisting in northern and eastern Scotland. A mix of sunny spells, but also some heavy and possibly thundery showers will follow on behind. Feeling warm and humid for many, but increasingly windy.
Friday night:
Rain across Scotland gradually easing, leaving a scattering of showers across the UK. The showers will be heavy and thundery at times, with coastal gales developing in the south.
Saturday:
Very windy in the south, with a mix of sunny spells and well scattered showers. Elsewhere, heavy and slow-moving showers will develop, with a risk of hail and thunder.
Outlook for Sunday to Tuesday:
Staying changeable throughout the period, with a mix of sunny spells and scattered showers. The showers generally heaviest and most frequent in the north. Breezy on Sunday and Monday.
