The Highways Agency has issued an amber alert warning drivers in the North West that heavy rain and high winds are forecast from 9am through to late afternoon today.

The intense low pressure system moving to the North of Scotland is expected to bring strong winds to the North West throughout today, before clearing to the North this afternoon.

Gusts of up to 50mph are expected across much of the region with isolated gusts of around 60-70mph expected along the Cumbrian coast and higher Pennine routes.

Showers are expected in the area throughout the day and at altitudes higher than 200m, these showers could fall as snow.

Currently, the Agency in conjunction with the Met Office is advising drivers of high-sided or other vehicles vulnerable to high winds should avoid the following roads if possible during the weather alert:

M53 J1-J2 Wallasey to Birkenhead

M56 J12 Runcorn and Sutton Weaver

M58 J1 Kirkby

M6 J20-J21 Thelwall Viaduct

M6 J26-J27 M58 to Standish

M6 J36-J45 Through Cumbria

M60 J10-J12 Barton Bridge through to M62

M60 J16-J17 Pendlebury and Kersley to Prestwich and Whitefield

M62 J18 - J27 Between Manchester and Leeds

M61 J4-J5 Westhoughton M61 J9 / M65 J1 Interchange A56 Between M65 and A680 at Edenfield

M65 J3-J4 Withnell and Blackburn Interchange

A66 Between M6 J40 - A1 (Scotch Corner) A69 All of it

Live traffic information updates are available on the Highways Agency website here and the latest weather forecasts can be found from the Met Office here