Hurricane Ophelia is approaching the UK as forecasters warn of heavy rain and gusts of up to 80mph - while some areas will enjoy a balmy 25C (77F).

The Met Office has issued severe weather alerts, warning of potential power cuts, damage to buildings and disruption to transport and mobile phone signal.

The tropical storm is making its way across the Atlantic Ocean, and Ophelia’s remnants look set to reach the UK on Monday.

A yellow warning for rain is in place until Saturday morning across parts of northern England, with up to 50mm of rain over high ground and as much as 70mm possible over the most exposed hills.

Hurricane Ophelia is crossing the Atlantic Ocean and could bring wet weather and gusts of up to 80mph when it hits Britain’s shores.

The tropical storm was named a hurricane overnight and the US National Hurricane Centre has warned it could strengthen over the coming days.

The remnants of Ophelia look set to reach the UK on Monday, with unsettled weather expected to cause disruption, the Met Office said.

The west of the country will see the worst of the weather, with winds of between 60mph and 70mph forecast.

It will coincide with the 30th anniversary of the Great Storm of 1987, which hit southern England overnight on October 15.

The storm caused damage estimated at £1 billion and claimed 18 lives.

• See our video looking back at the devastation it caused here.

Met Office forecaster Alex Burkhill said: “Ophelia became a hurricane overnight and the forecast track takes it eastwards towards Iberia for the weekend.

“After that, indications are that by that point it will then have weakened and be no longer a hurricane or tropical storm, it will be extratropical.

“But then it will continue its way towards the British Isles, probably reaching us very early next week.”

Mr Burkhill said cold sea temperatures mean Ophelia will not be strong enough to be categorised as a hurricane when it hits Britain.

But he added: “It’s definitely something that we are keeping an eye on, for the possibility of some disruptive weather early next week.”

Monday will see a spell of “very windy weather” sweeping across western parts of the UK, according to the Met Office which has issued a yellow warning for wind early next week, with the potential for gusts of 80mph in coastal areas, particularly in Northern Ireland.

Road, rail, air and ferry services may be affected, and there could be power cuts, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage.

Forecasters say some damage to buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs, is possible, and could lead to injuries and danger to life from flying debris, while coastal routes and sea fronts may be affected by spray or large waves.

Meanwhile, the mercury is set to rise over the coming days, with temperatures of 25C (77F) predicted.

A Met Office spokeswoman said: “The east side of the country certainly benefiting from some warmer temperatures into the weekend and at the start of next week.”

She said temperatures in the south east will be around 20C (68F), going up to 22C (72F) or 23C (73F) on Sunday and “almost mid 20s” on Monday, possibly getting to around 25C (77F).

“Even up as far as Nottingham on Monday will see quite widely again 20C/21C, but may well see 22C/23C,” she said.