A NEW weather warning of 'strong winds' has been issued for Dorset amid Storm Barra - with 31 hours of weather alerts now in place.

Dorset and wider South West is currently experiencing a mixture of wind and rain spells, with the Met Office forecasting rain and windy weather in the coming days.

Ahead of Storm Barra, the Met Office issued a wind weather alert between 9am and 11.59am on Tuesday (December 7).

The forecaster has since issued a second weather alert which will be in place from 12am until 6pm on Wednesday (December 8).

The weather warning is described as ‘strong winds continuing to cause potential disruption to travel’ and covers a large section of Dorset and the wider South West.

Dorset Echo: A new weather warning for wind has been issued for Dorset by the Met Office. Picture: Met OfficeA new weather warning for wind has been issued for Dorset by the Met Office. Picture: Met Office

'Strong westerly winds' are predicted to hit the county with wind gusts between 45 to 50mph but 'exposed coastal locations' could potentially see 55 to 65mph of wind gusts.

The weather warning, which covers major routes including A35, A31, A354 and A37, warns of longer journey times or cancellations as road, rail, air and ferry services are affected by weather.

There is also a chance that some coastal routes, sea fronts, and coastal communities 'will be affected by spray and/or large waves' and the possibility of some power cuts.

A spokesman for Met Office said: “Strong westerly winds slowly moderating through Wednesday.

"Wind gusts of 45-50 mph expected widely across the region, with a potential of 55-65 mph for exposed coastal locations.

"In addition to strong winds, there is a potential for large waves along windward coasts."