Weather warnings have come into force across much of the UK as millions of people set off for their Christmas getaway.

Wet and windy weather this weekend could cause roads and public transport to be disrupted by strong gusts. The AA predicted that 22 million drivers would hit the road on Saturday.

Met Office yellow warnings for wind were in place from 7am on Saturday to 9pm on Sunday in the north-west and north-east of England, in Scotland and parts of Wales and Northern Ireland.

Sunday’s warning also includes London, the south-east, the south-west, the East Midlands, the West Midlands, Yorkshire and all of Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Met Office said: “The strongest winds are expected across the far north of Scotland on Saturday afternoon and evening, with the potential for gusts in excess of 80mph in coastal districts including Orkney.

“Dangerous coastal conditions can be expected too, with large waves an additional hazard, especially in respect to causeways. This period of strong winds may lead to some transport disruption, including ferry delays or cancellations.

“Frequent blustery showers will also be a feature on Saturday and may merge into a longer spell of rain for a time in the far north and north-west.”

The RAC estimated that 7m leisure trips would be made on major roads over the weekend, which excludes everyday traffic, and urged travellers to “be patient”. The RAC spokesperson Rod Dennis said: “We are expecting things to build up through the course of the morning … There’s a core of about 11 o’clock this morning [Saturday] and between about four and six this afternoon, that’s the core time where we expect the traffic to be heavier.”

When asked if there were any delay crunch points the RAC was worried about, Dennis said: “I wouldn’t say worried about. I think this is the thing people are going to be well used to, where they’re not able to tear all the cones out and open all the lanes.

“Obviously there’s stretches of the northern part of the M25, part of the M4, the M5, a lot of routes people use for the sorts of journeys they’re going to make ahead of Christmas where they just can’t open all the lanes back up again. So, there’s those to bear in mind.

“What we’re saying to people is just be patient. These are journeys that matter to us this time of year. Just don’t expect to get there the minute your satnav says it will. Allow yourself a bit of time to make it easy and get there safely.”