HAMPSHIRE is bracing itself to be battered by yet more heavy winds over the weekend.

Gusts of up to 46mph are set to hit the county this weekend as the Met Office issues a yellow weather warning for much of the UK.

It comes just a fortnight after the last major weather warning - when Andover was hit by winds of around 60mph as a result of Storm Barney.

Temperatures in the area are expected to dip to 12 degrees centigrade but will feel more like eight degrees and the chances of rain increasing throughout the weekend.

Northern and central parts of the UK at battening down the hatches as a yellow weather warning for wind and rain has been issued.

Severe southwesterly gales are expected to hit much of Scotland and Northern Ireland during Friday with the strongest winds affecting northwest Scotland at first before reaching the Central Lowlands, southern Scotland and Northern Ireland by late afternoon and evening.

The Met Office has warned drivers in the area to watch out for difficult driving conditions with the risk of disruption to roads and ferries.

Winds may even be strong enough to bring down branches and uproot trees due to ground being saturated with rain.

A weather depression, when air rises and cools forming clouds and precipitation, is expected to deepen and move towards Iceland today and is set to affect the UK throughout Friday and Saturday.

Hampshire residents can also expect rainfall during the weekend as by the end of Sunday the chances of wet weather hitting the area rises to 80 per cent.