East Devon will be hit by strong winds and heavy rain on Wednesday (December 27), the Met Office has said.

The weather agency has today issued two yellow weather warnings for the district.

A warning for rain will be in place between midnight and 3pm, while the warning for wind covers the period 3am to 6pm.

The Met Office says the rain – which will affect Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, parts of Wiltshire and much of Wales – will bring  “the potential for disruption to travel and a risk of flooding”.

Meanwhile, the warning for wind, which covers the south coast of England, including Exmouth and Sidmouth, is “likely to lead to some transport disruption”.

Sidmouth Herald: How East Devon will be affected. The lighter yellow shows the rain warning, and the darker yellow shows wind and rain warnings.How East Devon will be affected. The lighter yellow shows the rain warning, and the darker yellow shows wind and rain warnings. (Image: Met Office)

Rain warning

Addressing the warning for rain, the weather agency says:

  • Longer journey times on buses and trains are expected 
  • Longer journey times on the roads due to spray and flooding are expected
  • Flooding of a few homes and businesses is likely
  • Some interruption to power supplies and other services is likely.

Wind warning

And for the warning about strong winds, the Met Office forecasts:

  • Some delays to road, rail, air and ferry transport are likely
  • Coastal routes, sea fronts and coastal communities will be affected by spray or large waves
  • Some bus and train services will be affected, with some journeys taking longer
  • Some short term loss of power and other services is possible
  • Delays for high-sides vehicles on exposed routes and bridges is likely.

If you need to travel in heavy rain or strong winds, the Met Office recommends reducing your speed, avoiding driving through floodwater and keeping a safe distance to vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists.