Storm Brigid is expected to hit UK shores in the early hours of tomorrow before the full force of the onslaught rips into the country on Saturday.
Experts say it threatens to cause destruction on a par with the ferocious October St Jude’s Day Storm and subsequent Storm Emily which hit in December.
It came as figures show some areas of England have already had their wettest January since records began. The Met Office said much of the south and Midlands already had twice the average rainfall for January by midnight on Tuesday - with three days still left in the month.
Several inches of rain are likely to fall in a matter of hours through the next few days, sealing the record for England’s wettest winter in history.
So far eight inches of rain have fallen since the beginning of December, with just eight more needed to beat the 1914/15 record of 16.
Officials have warned Britain will be crippled by frenzied winds capable of up ripping trees and tearing roof slates from buildings.
Rivers already close to overflowing are likely to burst their banks sparking a torrent of flood warnings and alerts across the nation.
Forecasters have warned a run of storms are lined up in the Atlantic threatening torrential rain and gales for at least a week.
Swathes of the country have been left under inches of water after heavy and relentless rain which has held out for weeks.
Government forecasters have issued a raft of severe weather warnings for rain today and tomorrow across the south with more than an inch expected.
There are also warnings for severe gale-force winds and potentially destructive waves along the west coast at the weekend.
A further Met Office warning has been issued for snow across Scotland tomorrow with brutal gales expected to trigger blizzards.
Chief forecaster Frank Saunders warned severe weather over the next few days is likely to lead to travel disruption and loss of power supplies.
“A band of heavy rain, reaching the west coast of Scotland early on Friday morning, will spread eastwards across the rest of Scotland during the day, with the rain turning increasingly to snow as it moves eastwards.
“The snow and heavy rain will also be accompanied by gale force winds, which may lead to localised disruption due to coastal flooding.
“The public should be aware of the likelihood of a spell of disruptive wintry weather, with impacts to travel and perhaps also to power supplies.”