London (PA Media/dpa)

Winds of up to 120 kilometres per hour have been forecast for parts of the United Kingdom as the Christmas getaway period continues to see disruption caused by bad weather.

Heathrow Airport, London's biggest flight hub, has confirmed around 100 flights have been cancelled on Sunday and passengers are advised to check with their airline before travelling.

It comes as the Meteorological Office said yellow warnings for wind, which came into force at 7am (0700 GMT) on Saturday, are expected to remain in place until 9pm on Sunday.

Warnings remain in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and in England the warnings cover the North East, North West, South West and West Midlands as well as Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Hampshire.

A Heathrow spokesperson said: "Due to strong winds and airspace restrictions, a small number of flights have been cancelled today.

This will ensure the vast majority of passengers can still travel as planned.

"We know how important travel at this time of year is and have extra colleagues on hand in our terminals to support people on their journeys. We encourage passengers to check with their airline for the latest information about their flight."

The airport was keen to stress the vast majority of flights are operating as normal.

Meteorological Office meteorologist Dan Stroud told the PA news agency that Sunday could see gusts of up to 121 kilometres per hour.

P&O Ferries said journeys between Larne in Northern Ireland and Cairnryan in southern Scotland have been cancelled until at least 8pm on Sunday.

CalMac, which operates ferry services on Scotland's west coast, said 29 of its 30 routes are either cancelled or affected by disruption on Sunday.

Scottish rail operator ScotRail said speed restrictions are in place for part of the route between Glasgow and Oban/Mallaig, and the Inverness service to Kyle/Wick.

It comes amid warnings of a "perfect storm" created by bad weather and congestion on the roads.

The AA automotive association predicted 21.3 million drivers will hit the road on Sunday, while 22.7 million had been expected on Saturday, slightly fewer than the 23.7 million on Friday which was expected to be the busiest day on the roads since the group's records began in 2010.

A spokesperson said: "If the congestion wasn't enough of a headache, the inclement weather could create the perfect storm.