The Met Office has issued a rare red weather warning for parts of Wales as 100mph winds are set to hit.

The forecasting service upgraded the warning on Thursday as it tracks the storm, dubbed Storm Eunice, that is developing in the Atlantic and is due to hit on Friday. The warning is in place from 7am until 12pm on Friday, February 18. Follow live updates here.

Under a red alert, the Met Office says to Wales can expect flying debris "resulting in danger to life" and "damage to buildings and homes, with roofs blown off and power lines brought down". A red warning is only issued when the danger is certain and will have a high impact. People are urged to take action, avoid travelling and follow advice from emergency services.

The Met Office says: "If you haven’t already done so, you should take action now to keep yourself and others safe from the impact of the severe weather. It is very likely that there will be a risk to life, with substantial disruption to travel, energy supplies and possibly widespread damage to property and infrastructure."

Although these type of warnings are rare, this isn't the first time we have been issued a red weather warning in recent years.

Read more: Storm Eunice: Met Office issues red weather warning for parts of Wales as 100mph winds to hit

2020: Storm Dennis

In February 2020, the Met Office also issued a red warning for rain for part of south Wales due to Storm Dennis.

The storm had brought heavy rain across the UK with multiple amber and yellow warnings, and was one of the most devastating weather events the country had witnessed in years.

In mid-February 2020, homeowners and emergency workers alike had just experienced Storm Ciara when forecasts of Storm Dennis emerged.

The Met Office revealed that an area extending from Neath to Ebbw Vale would be covered by the red warning, which forecasted that "communities could be completely cut off by floodwater, perhaps for several days".

Places such as the Taff's Well lawn bowls club was drastically under water after the Taff had burst its banks. Residents from villages such as Treforest were rescued by emergency services, and the flooding on Pontypridd high street looked like a river.

2018: Storm Emma (aka The Beast from the East)

You may remember the 'Beast from the East' in March 2018, which had a similar red weather warning. The phrase was used to describe cold and wintry conditions that took place all over the UK as a result of a polar continental air mass.

The mild weather changed dramatically in the last week of February, and temperatures dropped as low as -11.7C overnight as Storm Emma prompted wind warnings for parts of south-west England and south Wales.

Roads were closed, trains and buses were cancelled, with some people left stranded in their cars over night in freezing temperatures.

Places such as Cardiff and parts of the south Wales Valleys faced snowdrifts several feet deep. In fact, south Wales saw the most snow through out the whole of UK with 55cm recorded in St Athan.

In March, the River Taff had frozen over as sub-zero temperature hit Wales.

2014: A sequence of winter storms

A wind peak of 108mph was recorded in Wales and around 94,000 homes in Wales were without power as a series of storms battered Wales bringing severe gales and heavy rain.

Around 6 major storms hit through this period, separated by intervals of 2 to 3 days and a red "take action" weather warning was issued by the Met Office as exceptionally strong winds hit.

Strong winds and huge waves made conditions extremely dangerous around exposed coastlines - particularlyin the south and west, and caused widespread transport disruption.

2013: Red snow warning

A red snow warning for Wales was issued by the Met Office for much of the Heads of the Valleys and the Brecon Beacons Schools closed and temperatures plummeted.

In light of Storm Eunice, the Met Office has said that Wales can expect flying debris "resulting in danger to life" and "damage to buildings and homes, with roofs blown off and power lines brought down".

It also means uprooted trees are likely, as well as road, bridge and railway line closures.

The Met Office also added: "Storm Eunice will bring extremely strong winds across parts of southwest England and south Wales".

They have also advised people to stay at home.

These are the areas in Wales covered by the weather warning:

• Bridgend
• Caerphilly
• Cardiff
• Carmarthenshire
• Monmouthshire
• Neath Port Talbot
• Newport
• Rhondda Cynon Taf
• Swansea
• Vale of Glamorgan

Met Office Chief Meteorologist Frank Saunders added: "After the impacts from Storm Dudley for many on Wednesday, Storm Eunice will bring damaging gusts in what could be one of the most impactful storms to affect southern and central parts of the UK for a few years.

"The red warning area indicates a significant danger to life as extremely strong winds provide the potential for damage to structures and flying debris. Although the most exposed coastal areas in the south and west could see gusts in excess of 90mph, winds will remain notably strong further inland, with gusts of between 70-80mph for most within the amber warning area."

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