LONDON -- The first wind storm since the UK Met Office and Ireland's Met Éireann started naming them is on the way.
Storm Abigail, which kicks off a new alphabet of named storms that will include Desmond, Nigel and Wendy, is expected to hit the UK on Thursday, Nov. 12 through Friday.
The storm will bring strong winds across the far north of the UK Thursday evening and into Friday, and could cause disruption in those areas low pressure system intensifies north of the region, the Met Office says.
First official storm has been named as #StormAbigail set to bring strong winds to the UK https://t.co/pVqd1MgpH6 pic.twitter.com/pH7QNtoYrN— Met Office (@metoffice) November 10, 2015
The storm currently exists as a weak low pressure area over Newfoundland and is expected move rapidly east across the North Atlantic, intensifying as it does so. It will approach the UK from the southwest before swinging to the north of Scotland, said Eddy Carroll, chief operational meteorologist at the Met office.
While the track it will take and the ultimate intensity is uncertain, gusts of some 60 - 70 mph are likely with some potentially exceeding 80 mph in exposed locations, particularly at higher elevations.
The news of Storm Abigail comes after the Met Office issued a yellow 'be aware' National Severe Weather Warning about high winds across the northwest of England and the north of Scotland.
You can keep up to date with the latest forecast on the Met Office's five day forecast page.
The Name Our Storms project saw the two meteorological services solicit suggestions for names for new storms from Facebook, Twitter and email.
"The naming of storms using a single authoritative system should aid the communication of approaching severe weather through media partners and other government agencies," the Met Office wrote on its website. "In this way the public will be better placed to keep themselves, their property and businesses safe."