UK warned to brace for further onslaught of wild weather this weekend

UK

Britons are being urged to brace for a further onslaught of wild weather following the devastation of Storm Gerrit.

Gusts of up to 75mph could hit parts of the south of England and Wales on Saturday, the Met Office has warned.

A yellow weather alert for wind has been issued for parts of the South East, South West, East Anglia and Wales from 11am on Saturday until 3am on New Year’s Eve.

A separate yellow warning for rain has been issued across part of Wales between 10am and 6pm on Saturday.

A yellow rain warning has also been placed across most of Northern Ireland from 4am until 11am on Saturday, with up to 25mm of rain expected in just a few hours.

In Scotland, both snow and rain are expected to batter most of the country between 8am and midnight on Saturday.

UK weather: The latest Sky News forecast

The Met Office is warning the extreme weather across the UK could lead to flooding and transport disruption.

ScotRail, LNER, Avanti West Coast and London Northwestern Railway are among the train companies to have told passengers they should check before travelling in the coming days.

The fresh warnings come on the heels of Storm Gerrit.

Flooding around Tewkesbury after heavy rain from storm Gerrit. Picture date: Friday December 29, 2023.
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Flooding around Tewkesbury following Storm Gerrit

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) said it had restored power to almost 48,000 homes, with bosses confident the final 250 properties would be reconnected on Friday.

In Wales, 36,000 properties were left without power after lightning struck in Ceredigion.

Storm Gerrit repairs. Pic: SSEN
Image:
Some of the damage caused by Storm Gerrit. Pic: SSEN

Storm Gerrit repairs. Pic: SSEN
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SSEN teams carrying out repairs. Pic: SSEN

Elsewhere, three men died after their 4×4 vehicle was submerged in the River Esk, near Glaisdale in North Yorkshire.

The storm is also still being felt in northern England and Wales.

Stalybridge, Tameside, and Carrbrook in Greater Manchester are in a “recovery phase”, local authorities have said, after they were hit by a rare tornado that toppled trees and damaged homes.

Damage is seen on the roofs of a row of terraced house after Storm Gerrit hit the country in Stalybridge, Britain, December 28, 2023. REUTERS/Phil Noble
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Damage to homes in Stalybridge, Greater Manchester

The freak whirlwind was thought to have been caused by a supercell thunderstorm, and residents said it had left some homes looking like “an absolute disaster”.

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A plane struggling to land during Storm Gerrit

Read more:
Tornado hits Greater Manchester
Hundreds of homes still without power

Meteorologist Alex Burkill is advising all those heading out on New Year’s Eve to wrap up as the mercury drops.

He said: “As we look towards the end of the day on New Year’s Eve, and the blustery showery theme does continue, some of those showers should start to ease as we head towards midnight.

“So, perhaps a bit more drier weather around, some clearer skies, but do watch out for those showers.

“And you will also want to wrap up quite warm because although it hasn’t been particularly chilly recently, when you factor in those strong blustery winds, it’s going to feel close to freezing for many places.

“So, definitely a chilly feel to things as the clock strikes midnight.”

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