Towns and cities across England, Scotland and Wales could face power cuts due to a 21-hour storm.

Households are being told that Storm Darraugh, the latest named weather front, will smash the UK between Friday and Sunday, with as may as seven weather warnings bringing potential disruption across various areas with travel affected and power supplies at risk too.

The Met Office has issued a 21-hour yellow weather warning for wind and rain from 3pm on Friday through to Saturday at midday. More serious amber wind warnings are in place from 1am to 9pm on Saturday for Northern Ireland, most of Wales, the South West of England, and costal areas of Merseyside, Lancashire, Cumbria and South West Scotland.

But on top of that, the forecaster has issued a rare red warning for extreme winds while rain and snow could also impact part of the country.

Out of the UK’s 76 cities, only Inverness doesn’t fall into the areas with yellow, amber or red warnings – although it is very close to an area of Scotland that’s been given a yellow snow warning from 8pm tonight (Friday) to 9am tomorrow (Saturday).

The Met Office is warning of potential disruption to power supplies due to the storm, with households in affected areas being urged to prepare.

Among the host of major English cities to fall under a yellow wind warning are London, Manchester, Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield, Nottingham, Stoke, Portsmouth, Oxford, Lincoln, Derby, Leicester, Norwich, York, Durham and Hull as well as others like Milton Keynes and Bradford.

Cities including Liverpool have been put under the more serious amber warning for wind and rain, but other parts of the UK will be even more badly affected, with the forecaster issuing a rare red weather warning for extreme winds with a ‘danger to life’ risk.

It said Bristol, Cardiff, Swansea and most of Wales will face a red warning for extreme wind from 3am to 11am on Saturday.

North of the border, Edinburgh and Glasgow have also been handed yellow weather warnings for rain.

The Met Office forecast says: “A period of extremely strong winds will develop during the early hours of Saturday morning as Storm Darragh moves across the Irish Sea. Gusts of 90 mph or more are possible over coasts and hills of west and south Wales, as well as funnelling through the Bristol Channel with some very large waves on exposed beaches.

“The strongest winds will begin to ease from late morning, though it will remain very windy with Amber wind warnings still in force until the evening.”

Those bracing for power cuts have been told to buy torches and candles, as well as batteries, and to charge their phones as well as any phone charging power banks, to ensure you’re well prepared.

The Met Office warned those in the affected areas: “Don’t risk injury to others or damage to your property. If you can do so safely, check for loose items outside your home and secure them. Items include; Christmas decorations, bins, garden furniture, trampolines, tents, sheds, and fences.

“People cope better with power cuts when they have prepared for them in advance. It’s easy to do; consider gathering torches and batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essential items.

“If you live or work on the coast, beware of large waves, even from the shore large breaking waves can sweep you off your feet and out to sea. In an emergency, call 999 and ask for the coastguard.”

Which warnings impact which UK cities

• Bath – Amber
• Birmingham – Yellow
• Bradford – Yellow
• Brighton & Hove – Yellow
• Bristol – Red
• Cambridge – Yellow
• Canterbury – Yellow
• Carlisle – Yellow
• Chelmsford – Yellow
• Chester – Amber
• Chichester – Yellow
• Colchester – Yellow
• Coventry – Yellow
• Derby – Yellow
• Doncaster – Yellow
• Durham – Yellow
• Ely – Yellow
• Exeter – Amber
• Gloucester – Yellow
• Hereford – Yellow
• Kingston-upon-Hull – Yellow
• Lancaster – Yellow
• Leeds – Yellow
• Leicester – Yellow
• Lichfield – Yellow
• Lincoln – Yellow
• Liverpool – Amber
• London – Yellow
• Manchester – Yellow
• Milton Keynes – Yellow
• Newcastle-upon-Tyne – Yellow
• Norwich – Yellow
• Nottingham – Yellow
• Oxford – Yellow
• Peterborough – Yellow
• Plymouth – Amber
• Portsmouth – Yellow
• Preston – Amber
• Ripon – Yellow
• Salford – Yellow
• Salisbury – Yellow
• Sheffield – Yellow
• Southampton – Yellow
• Southend-on-Sea – Yellow
• St Albans – Yellow
• Stoke on Trent – Yellow
• Sunderland – Yellow
• Truro – Amber
• Wakefield – Yellow
• Wells – Amber
• Westminster – Yellow
• Winchester – Yellow
• Wolverhampton – Yellow
• Worcester – Yellow
• York – Yellow

Northern Ireland

• Armagh – Amber
• Bangor – Amber
• Belfast – Amber
• Lisburn – Amber
• Londonderry – Amber
• Newry – Amber

Scotland

• Aberdeen – Yellow
• Dundee – Yellow
• Dunfermline – Yellow
• Edinburgh – Yellow
• Glasgow – Yellow
• Inverness – None
• Perth – Yellow
• Stirling – Yellow

Wales

• Bangor – Red
• Cardiff – Red
• Newport – Amber
• St Asaph – Amber
• St Davids – Red
• Swansea – Red
• Wrexham – Yellow