The Met Office has issued weather warnings before the arrival of Storm Agnes, with the possibility that strong winds and heavy rain could lead to floods, power cuts and falling trees. The first named storm of the season is expected to hit the UK on Wednesday with winds of up to 75mph and dangerous conditions along coastlines. The Met Office issued a yellow wind weather warning covering the period from midday on Wednesday to 7am on Thursday, stretching across Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales as well as the south-west of England, the West Midlands and most of the north of England. Two yellow rain warnings are also in place covering areas of Scotland and the Met Office has said there could be up to 60mm of rain. The most powerful winds are expected on the Irish Sea coasts. Gusts of up to 75mph are forecast on higher ground and exposed coastal areas, with inland areas likely to have gusts of 45 to 50mph. The storm could cause power cuts, blow tiles from roofs and disrupt railways and roads, the Met Office warned on its website. Oli Claydon, a spokesperson, also said the storm could knock over trees and disrupt the Irish Sea ferry network. “The storm centre itself remains over the Atlantic and will continue approaching and cross the UK through Wednesday afternoon and will move away Wednesday night into Thursday,” he said. “In terms of most impacted areas, we’re looking at the Irish Sea coasts, so south-eastern parts of Northern Ireland, west and north-western coasts of Wales, and the north-western coast of England.” The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) said the storm was likely to cause dangerous conditions on the coasts around the UK and Ireland. Sam Hughes, a RNLI water safety partner, said: “The RNLI advises staying a safe distance away from the water and cliff edges as the conditions could knock you off your feet or wash you into the sea. It is not worth risking your life. “If you see someone else in danger in the water, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard. If you have something that floats that they can hold on to, throw it to them. Don’t go in the water yourself – you may end up in difficulty too.” The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning in central Scotland, from the north of Glasgow across towards Aberdeen. A second yellow rain warning is in place in the far south-west of Scotland. Both weather alerts are in place between 3pm on Wednesday through to midnight. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) has warned the storm could cause flooding. David Morgan, the flood duty manager at Sepa, said: “Flooding impacts are possible, particularly in south-west and central areas (of Scotland). Along the south-west coast, we may see waves overtopping and flooding of causeways, promenades, properties and roads. “Impacts are expected to be localised and around high tide. We may also see minor flooding impacts from surface water and rivers. Flood alerts and warnings are being issued as necessary and we continue to work with the Met Office to monitor the situation 24/7.”