Suffolk is set to see heavy rain and wind speeds up to 55mph this weekend as Storm Erik hits the county.

The Atlantic storm is slowly making its way across to Britain and is expected to hit eastern regions during Friday afternoon (February 8).

High winds that have battered the county for the past two days are set to continue over the weekend and some heavy showers are predicted.

Phil Garner, Forecaster for Weatherquest said: “The storm will take two bites at us. There will be cloudy, wet conditions with some heavier rain coming this afternoon. We could see highs of 11C.

“There will be some clearer spells over night and the wind will pick up again tomorrow morning.

“Gusts of between 50mph and 55mph are expected on Saturday but it will stay dry for most of the day.”

Storm Erik could bring slightly warmer temperatures to the region. They could reach the low double figures on Saturday with highs of 11C. However, there could be further heavy rain going into Sunday morning with strong winds also set to continue.

Highways England do not have any plans to close the Orwell Bridge at this time, although they still could make a decision on the road if conditions worsen.

Mr Garner added: “There will be a strong north-westerly winds on Sunday to end the weekend.

“We wont see any worse conditions that we have seen during the end of the week, but there is enough wind for branches to fall down.

“People should still take care and perhaps leave themselves a little more time when travelling.”