Swimmers tackle Storm Babet winds off Saundersfoot beach

Despite the ferocious winds and plummeting temperatures, the plucky swimmers stripped to their bathers and took the plunge.

“They were certainly dressed as if they were prepared to go in, regardless of the conditions,” commented a local resident who watched them brave the fierce spray.

“Sea conditions were pretty bad down here this morning, but it did nothing to prevent them from going in.”

The sea off Saundersfoot on Wednesday morning. (Image: Gareth Davies Photography)

The four-day onslaught moved into Pembrokeshire with a fury on Tuesday night and, while the winds had dropped slightly into Wednesday morning, they remained exceptionally strong.

Meteorologists are warning of heavy rain which will be arriving throughout the UK, with eastern Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England set to suffer greatest later in the week.

Although there are no weather warnings currently in place for Wales, a spokesperson for the Met Office has confirmed that the storm will bring residual impact to the nation.

Weather maps indicate that the rain will become heavy and persistent, particularly this evening (Wednesday), and in the days to come.

A scattering of showers is making its way to the south Wales coastline, while patches have already reached various inland areas.

The band of rain will have reached large parts of south Wales, before then reaching Powys, as well as parts of Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Swansea in the west.

Satellite images from NASA's Earth Observing System (EOSDIS) have showed the storm’s progress over Spain and Portugal, from where it turned northwards and hurtled straight towards the British Isles.

The second named storm of the season will last until Saturday, the Met Office said, and is expected to cause flooding, power cuts and travel disruption.