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The yellow weather warning for gale-force winds has been upgraded to amber, with forecasters now expecting storm-force gusts to batter the island this afternoon.

Ronaldsway Met Office says winds could reach 70–75mph for several hours early this afternoon, particularly along the west coast, before easing back slightly but remaining a strong south-westerly gale for the rest of the day.

These severe winds follow a night of rain, leaving ground across the island oversaturated and increasing the likelihood of standing water.

As a result, authorities say some trees have already come down in places, and further brief travel disruptions and delays are possible as conditions worsen.

The upgraded amber warning runs from 1pm to 4pm today and coincides with the separate red alert for coastal overtopping.

South to south-southwesterly winds are expected to reach gale to severe gale force around the time of this afternoon’s high tide, at approximately 2.30pm on Tuesday, 9 December.

Forecasters warn this could lead to severe coastal overtopping, with major volumes of water and debris expected to wash over exposed areas.

The worst-affected locations are likely to include Castletown promenades, Shore Road in Rushen, and the northern end of Douglas Promenade.

Ramsey and Laxey promenades are also expected to experience overtopping, though to a lesser extent, falling within the yellow to amber range.

An alert has also been issued for possible inner harbour flooding. While current levels remain just below the threshold for a full yellow warning, forecasters say this may change as conditions continue to develop.