Batten down the hatches: Rain, wind and storms to batter Britain as autumn rolls in

• Britain faces week of unsettled weather, with sunshine and showers
• But mix of conditions means 'potentially spectacular autumn ahead'
• UK expected to explode into colour as the seasons change
  

By Amanda Williams

Published: 04:24 EDT, 15 September 2013 | Updated: 06:35 EDT, 16 September 2013

The UK will be battered with rain and strong gusts of wind today as stormy conditions roll in across much of the UK, heralding the beginning of autumn.

Britain faces another week of unsettled weather, with sunshine and showers forecast along with the risk of thunder. 

But the mix of warm, sunny weather, along with moisture in the soil after the wet winter, means we could be in line for 'potentially spectacular' autumn colours following the summer, experts have said.

Fancy dress fun runners take part in the Bupa Great North Run 2013 in Newcastle upon Tyne this morning. Winds in the area are expected to be up to 40mph, and will increase to 45mph in the afternoon

Conditions are expected to remain unsettled into next week, with sunshine and showers forecast along with the risk of thunder

Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele (right) leads Britain's Mo Farah (left) as they charge to the finish line of the Great North Run half marathon in South Shields

But crowd favourite Mo Farah finished in second place after losing out to Kenenisa Bekele

Nick Prebble, forecaster at MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said the conditions were looking pretty grim and not ideal conditions for running, with heavy rain and strong winds

The conditions have allowed plants to build up sugar levels needed to create amazing autumnal red, orange and gold foliage, the Royal Horticultural Society said.

And the recent rain has replenished soils that had become dry in the heat, meaning plants are still actively growing and building up resources that could make for a great display, the RHS's chief horticultural adviser Guy Barter said.

As the days shorten, trees will begin to withdraw their resources from the leaves into the roots, he said.

Autumnal weather in October, with warm days and cool nights, will now be needed to deliver the best diplays, boosting the breakdown of green chlorophyll in the leaves and exposing the colourful pigments that remain.

Mr Barter said: 'The wonderful combination of warm days, plenty of light and reasonable soil moisture this summer has filled plants with resources needed to create amazing autumnal reds, oranges and gold foliage.

'For this to happen we need autumn weather conditions in October, warm days, cool nights, akin to up-state New York where the autumnal colours of trees are a major tourist attraction.

Unusually large numbers of hill walkers make their way to the summit of Snowdon as it is covered in fog

Britain faces another week of unsettled weather, with sunshine and showers forecast along with the risk of thunder

Temperatures will reach 15 to 16C across England and Wales and 13 to 14C in Scotland, with a wind chill expected to make it feel much cooler

Lib Dem delegates arrive to the conference centre in driving wind and rain at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre in Glasgow

Forecasters predict high rainfall totals in Scotland, Wales, north-west England and Northern Ireland

The Met Office said it had issued severe weather warnings for the gales in Scotland and Northern Ireland for today and the public should be aware of the potential for some minor disruption to travel

Rolling in: The Shard building is only just visible through the heavy recurring morning fog in London

'We've been lucky enough to have had an amazing summer of warmth and light that has really helped plants come on after a very late spring, and now it looks like we can look forward to a potentially spectacular autumn with the weather treating us to one of nature's most spectacular displays.'

Last year's hopes for a top display of autumnal colour were dashed by the wet weather in the autumn. Mr Barter said that the UK tended not to have huge extremes in its weather, which did not generally make for intense colour displays.

The country is more used to experiencing warm, wet days and nights or cold, dull days in autumn.

But while it might hinder the best colour displays, some rain in autumn had benefits for gardeners , as the season was a good time to be planting new plants and some moisture in the soil would help bulbs, shrubs and trees going into the ground, he added.

Today, as some 55,000 people set off on the half-marathon Great North Run in Newcastle, winds in the area are expected to be up to 40mph, and will increase to 45mph in the afternoon.

Nick Prebble, forecaster at MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: 'It's looking pretty grim and not ideal conditions for running, with heavy rain and strong winds at times.

'For the rest of the country, you'll be lucky to escape any rain today and we could see pretty high rainfall totals in Scotland, Wales, north-west England and Northern Ireland.'

Avielochan near Aviemore, Cairngorms National Park. The mix of warm, sunny weather, along with moisture in the soil after the wet winter, means we could be in line for 'potentially spectacular' autumn colours following the warm summer

Rowan leaves and berries in Aviemore, Cairngorms National Park. ast year's hopes for a top display of autumnal colour were dashed by the wet weather in the autumn

The recent conditions have allowed plants to build up sugar levels needed to create amazing autumnal red, orange and gold foliage, the Royal Horticultural Society said

Western areas of Scotland are expected to see the worst rain of the day, with 30-40mm falling in some places. It will also bear the brunt of the windy conditions, with Northern Ireland and Cumbria, with some tree branches expected to be brought down by the gusts.

Gusts of 50 to 60mph have been predicted, with the potential to reach even higher speeds over exposed coasts and hills.

The rest of the UK is expected to see cool, cloudy and windy conditions, with no signs of a return of any sunshine.

Temperatures will reach 15 to 16C across England and Wales and 13 to 14C in Scotland, with a wind chill expected to make it feel much cooler.

The Met Office said it had issued severe weather warnings for the gales in Scotland and Northern Ireland for today and the public should be aware of the potential for some minor disruption to travel.

Chief forecaster Paul Gundersen said: 'A spell of gale force westerly winds is expected later Sunday, peaking on Monday across much of Scotland, the north of Northern Ireland and coasts of north west England and north Wales. Gusts of 50 - 60mph are likely, with the potential for 70mph across exposed coasts and hills of Scotland.

'The public should be aware of the potential for some minor disruption to travel and keep up to date with the latest weather forecast information.'

Conditions are expected to remain unsettled into next week, with sunshine and showers forecast along with the risk of thunder.