BATTEN down the hatches and get your brollies at the ready – a storm is brewing.

After weeks of glorious sunshine and Mediterranean temperatures, Hampshire is being warned to prepare for torrential rain and strong winds as the remnants of a hurricane hits our shores.

The Met Office has issued a yellow rain warning for the county throughout tomorrow as the last gasps of hurricane Bertha head towards the UK over the next 24 hours.

Experts believe there is now a 60 per cent chance that the remains of Bertha, which has now weakened to an Atlantic storm, will hit the south on Sunday.

Initially, forecasters predicted that the tropical storm would pass over the UK, but now up to 30mm of rain could fall in just three hours on Sunday, with gusts of wind up to 60mph and large waves along the coasts.

Greatest risk Environment Agency staff are prepared for the high tides expected from Sunday through to Friday, and the potential rainfall and high winds this unseasonal low pressure could bring.

As a precautionary measure they will be deploying sand bags at various locations which pose the greatest risk based on last winter’s flood events.

Eddy Carroll, the chief forecaster at the Met Office, said: “There is the potential for severe weather over much of the UK during Sunday as a depression tracks over, or close to, the UK.

“There continues to be a great deal of uncertainty in the forecast but the public should be aware of the risk of flooding due to heavy rain, as well as very strong winds and large waves, particularly on the southern side of the depression.

“Given the unseasonable nature of the weather, this could be sufficient to disrupt transport and make outdoor activities dangerous.

“This is a particularly volatile situation, and this alert is likely to be updated as the event approaches.

“The public are advised to keep up to date with the latest forecasts and alerts.”