Heavy winds and floods could batter parts of the UK this week as the country plunges into a "much wetter and windier autumn spell".
The warning comes after Hurricane Ian intensified off Florida’s south-west coast with top winds recorded at 155mph - just short of the most dangerous category 5 status.
The Met Office says a jet stream was strengthened by warm air pushed north by Hurricane Ian.
The hurricane will sweep an area of low pressure across Britain on Friday.
The Met Office has now issued a yellow warning for the highland and Eilean Siar, SW Scotland, Strathclyde, Grapian, Central, Tayside and Fife areas.
It is expected public transport will be affected with journey times taking longer due to spray and flooding is possible on roads.
Deputy Chief Meteorologist at the Met Office, Chris Almond, said: "This will bring a much wetter and windier spell than we’ve seen so far this autumn, but nothing that is unusual for the time of year.
"The fast-moving system will bring strong gale force winds, locally in excess of 60mph and heavy rain into the northwest before pushing quickly southeast through the day.
"We could see some minor impacts, such as surface water flooding or minor wind damage, as well as some short-lived impacts on ferry crossings, especially in exposed areas of western Scotland and eastern areas of Northern Ireland.
"Later in the day, parts of southeast England could experience winds of around 55mph, which may impact the English Channel too.’
Areas such as Southampton and Plymouth could see highs of 17C, with 16C forecast in London and Cardiff, 15C in Belfast and 14C in Glasgow.
Rainfall will continue to drift into the weekend in the south, with rain predicted on Saturday morning.
Sunday will see a pause to the chaotic weather. With Sunny spells and few scattered showers on Thursday.
But in the northwest, forecasters say unpredictable conditions will return from Monday onwards.
Heavy rainfalls and high wind levels may become more common this autumn, National Highways has cautioned.
Andy Butterfield, Customer Services Director for Operations, said: "It’s always a good idea to plan your journey in advance which is particularly important if you are travelling on routes you are not familiar with.
"Checking the weather forecast before you travel can help you determine whether it might be worth delaying a journey if bad weather is forecast or at the very least to understand the traffic conditions."
