Worst is ‘yet to come’ as 80mph gusts and rain to batter Britain – live …

Forecasters have warned the “worst conditions are still to come”, with Storm Agnes making landfall in the UK after battering the south of Ireland with gale force winds.

Agnes, the first named storm of the season, has triggered a series of Met Office yellow weather warnings for wind and rain, with forecasts of damaging winds and big stormy seas.

Gusts of up to 70mph had already been recorded in south-west Ireland, with the storm set to hit areas of northern England and Scotland later on Wednesday. The roof of a building in Youghal, Co Cork, was blown off.

Met Office meteorologist Marco Petagna said: “This evening’s rush hour could be quite tricky” in some north and north-western areas of the UK, as it is expected to coincide with expected periods of strong wind and rain. “

He added: “Some of the worst conditions are still to come. The rain warnings are out to cover through the evening and the wind warnings are into the overnight period. We are looking at high gusts developing.” Gusts of 53mph were recorded in the Isles of Scilly on Wednesday and “well into the 40mph (zone)” across parts of Cornwall and parts of Wales, but “the winds are picking up”, Mr Petagna said.

The alerts include a wind warning until 7am on Thursday stretching across Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, as well as the south-west of England, the West Midlands and most of the north of England. There are also rain warnings for much of Scotland through to Thursday at 3am.

The Met Office said: “Whilst there is still some uncertainty in the exact track and depth of Agnes, gusts of 45-55 mph are expected widely inland and 50-60 mph over hills and around coasts.

“The strongest winds are expected to affect eastern parts of Northern Ireland, southwest Scotland, west and northwest Wales, Cumbria and Lancashire where some inland locations may see gusts of 50 to 60 mph, and perhaps 65-75 mph over hills and around some coasts. The strongest gusts are most likely during the second half of Wednesday afternoon and through the evening.”

20:10Tim Hanlon

Footage of plane battling to land in strong winds from Storm Agnes

A plane has been filmed struggling to keep on course as it came in to land at Belfast City Airport.

Winds as strong as 80mph are predicted from Storm Agnes as it makes its way across the UK today.

Belfast City airport said disruption to schedules across the UK due to the weather is “likely”. And a clip showed a plane that did manage to land in Belfast although there was a very bumpy approach. It seemed to be coming in sideways before finally managing to straighten ahead of landing on the wet runway.

In the Republic of Ireland, there have been flight cancellations at airports in Kerry and Cork.

WATCH: Plane battles Storm Agnes to land at Belfast City Airporthttps://t.co/Uz6kAzk0ZS pic.twitter.com/VNrSgBCvRH ^[1]^[2]

— UTV Live News (@UTVNews) September 27, 2023 ^[3]
19:54Tim Hanlon

Woman rescued from car in flooded river after heavy rain

A woman had to be rescued from a flooded river in Northern Ireland with her car submerged in the water.

More than 30 firefighters helped her to safety in Draperstown, Co Derry, after her car was found in the River Moyola. She is now being treated for hypothermia and shock after being taken to Antrim Area Hospital.

A statement from Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service said: “The first arriving crew used a ladder to reach the car from a bridge.

“The conditions changed very quickly and the firefighter on the roof of the car had to take decisive action to save the occupant. The firefighter broke the rear window and brought the driver out of the car and on to the roof.

“From there a line was secured to the occupant of the car and she was walked up the ladder followed by the firefighter to safety. Soon after this the car was fully submerged.”

19:42Tim Hanlon

Storm Agnes sends tree crashing onto railway line near Chester

Storm Agnes has sent a tree toppling onto a railway line near Chester, blocking tracks and causing delays for commuters.

The incident happened between Greenbank and Chester railway station this evening, with Network Rail staff on site.

They have since tweeted to say that the lines remain closed and buses are being organised. News of the fallen tree comes as warnings have been issued about the dangers of strong winds across much of the country.

Commenting on the fallen tree near Chester, Northern’s social media post says: “There is a tree blocking the railway between Greenbank and Chester and all lines are blocked. Network Rail staff are expected on site at 17:30.”

19:05Tim Hanlon

Where the strongest winds have hit so far – Met Office

The strongest winds so far from Storm Agnes have been found in the Isles of Scilly with 63mph, said the Met Office.

With the storm moving its way north east across the UK this evening and into the night, more gales and heavy rain are in store.

So far the strongest winds have been felt at St Mary’s Airport in the Isles of Scilly (63mph) with Milford Haven recording 60mph gusts.

#StormAgnes ^[4] has brought strong winds to the north and west of the UK, which will continue into this evening

Here’s a look at the highest gusts so far today pic.twitter.com/zsxLA57oLZ ^[5]

— Met Office (@metoffice) September 27, 2023 ^[6]
18:40Tim Hanlon

‘Travel disruption’ warning update from Met Office

Storm Agnes is bringing “heavy rain” that is moving across the country and could cause travel disruption, said the Met Office.

It tweeted: “Heavy rain has spread northeast across much of the UK this afternoon Further heavy rain across parts of Northern Ireland, northern England and much of Scotland could cause some travel disruption, particularly during the evening rush hour.”

There is a yellow warning in place for strong winds from the Met Office stating: “Storm Agnes to bring a spell of strong and potentially disruptive winds through Wednesday afternoon into early Thursday.”

What to expect

Injuries and danger to life from flying debris are possible
Some damage to buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs, could happen
Some power cuts are likely to occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage
Road, rail, air and ferry services may be affected, with longer journey times and cancellations possible. Some roads and bridges are likely to close
There is a small chance of injuries and danger to life that could occur from large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties, with a chance of some minor flooding of coastal roads

Heavy rain has spread northeast across much of the UK this afternoon

Further heavy rain across parts of Northern Ireland, northern England and much of Scotland could cause some travel disruption, particularly during the evening rush hour

Stay #WeatherAware pic.twitter.com/9gAi99He6c ^[7]^[8]

— Met Office (@metoffice) September 27, 2023 ^[9]
17:38Tim Hanlon

‘Dangerous conditions’ warning for coasts by RNLI

Storm Agnes is likely to cause “dangerous conditions” on the coasts around the UK and Ireland, says the RNLI.

People are advised staying a “safe distance” away from the water and cliff edges with gusts of wind possibly reaching 80mph.

Meanwhile, Humber Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre Commander Bev Allen said: “The first few storms of the autumn and winter are always a little frightening for us, as people are still in summer mode, the power of the waves can take them by surprise.

“We would encourage people to stay away from the water’s edge in stormy weather – it’s not worth risking your life for that selfie. Keep off groynes, piers, jetties and harbour walls. If you can feel the spray, you’re too close.”

17:07KEY EVENT

‘Evening rush hour could be quite tricky’ warns Met Office

The full force of Storm Agnes is yet to come with the evening rush hour set to be “quite tricky”, warned a Met Office forecaster.

Agnes, the first named storm of the season, has triggered a series of Met Office yellow weather warnings for wind and rain, with forecasts of damaging winds and big stormy seas.

Gusts of 53mph were recorded in the Isles of Scilly on Wednesday and “well into the 40mph (zone)” across parts of Cornwall and parts of Wales, but “the winds are picking up”, Mr Petagna said.

16:22Tim Hanlon

Satellite imagery shows Storm Agnes sweeping across the country

Storm Agnes’ ferocious winds and heavy rain are seen sweeping across the UK in a Met Office satellite image.

There are yellow weather warnings in place for wind and rain that run through until tomorrow with the storm moving north eastwards. At the same time the south east of the country is missing most of the storm with temperatures rising to around 23C in the sun.

The Met Office stated: “#StormAgnes continues to track northeast through this afternoon, bringing strong winds and heavy rain to northern and western parts of the UK.”

And the Coastguard tweeted: “Storm Agnes is expected to bring winds of up to 80mph to the British coastline. Please take weather warnings seriously and stay safe. Accidents do happen, such as when this boat ran aground during stormy conditions.”

#StormAgnes ^[10] continues to track northeast through this afternoon, bringing strong winds and heavy rain to northern and western parts of the UK

Take a look at the latest satellite pic.twitter.com/4C9eiUTEmh ^[11]

— Met Office (@metoffice) September 27, 2023 ^[12]
13:41KEY EVENT

Storm Agnes leaves thousands of homes without power in Ireland

Thousands of homes and businesses are without power as the effects of Storm Agnes are felt across Ireland.

Trees have fallen and the rain has led to flooding in parts of the south and southeast of the country. Authorities continue to monitor the weather.

Thousands of homes and businesses are without power as the effects of Storm Agnes are felt across the country. The South and South East are the worst affected and our correspondent Joe Mag Raollaigh is in Courtown, Co Wexford with the latest |
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) September 27, 2023 ^[15]
12:52Bradley Jolly

Photographs show flooding caused by Storm Agnes in Ireland

Vehicles drive through floodwater in Cork, Ireland, in these photographs.

Weather warnings have come into force as the UK braces for the arrival of Storm Agnes, which will bring damaging winds and big stormy seas.

Storm Agnes has brought with it downpours across Ireland (
PA)

11:50Bradley Jolly

Councils warn residents to take care during Storm Agnes

Councils across England and Wales are beginning to warn residents of the dangers of Storm Agnes as it slowly barrels its way towards the countries.

Stockport Council, for instance, used social media to remind residents to take care on the roads.

⚠️ Later this afternoon, Storm Agnes is expected to hit Stockport and the north west region.

It will bring strong winds and rain until tomorrow morning.

Remember, don’t drive through flood water, and take care when making your way around the borough. pic.twitter.com/VXcE8P8nkE ^[16]

— Stockport Council (@StockportMBC) September 27, 2023 ^[17]
11:38Bradley Jolly

‘Do not visit forests, country parks and nature reserves in Northern Ireland,’ government says

Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs of Northern Ireland is advising the public not to visit forests, country parks and nature reserves in the affected areas until the high winds subside.

They said in a tweet to refrain from any visits until Friday at the earliest. Storm Agnes is set to move across the country in the next couple of hours.

11:30Bradley Jolly

Storm Agnes leads to Ofgem warning about energy supply issues

The government regulator for the electricity and natural gas markets has warned residents, particularly in Northern England, they may experience energy loss today due to the weather.

Ofgem says Storm Agnes is expected to bring “bad weather” imminently and alludes to Met Office’s yellow weathers, which remain in force.

⚠️Bad weather is on the way with yellow warnings in place for most of the UK especially the North

Save these emergency numbers on your phone in case of a disruption to your energy supply

Powercut? Call 105

Smell gas? Call 0800 111 999 #StormAgnes #EnergyAware https://t.co/Vw29KEGmgC ^[18]^[19]^[20]

— Ofgem (@ofgem) September 27, 2023 ^[21]
11:24Bradley Jolly

Met Office shares graphic showing movement of Storm Agnes

Track the expected movement of Storm Agnes in this tweet Met Office shared just moments ago.

Storm Agnes is expected to batter Northern Ireland by lunchtime and then parts of Wales, England and Scotland by late afternoon.

⚠️ #StormAgnes ^[22] will bring strong winds and heavy rain to much of the UK this afternoon

⛅ Remaining drier across the southeast with some sunny spells and lighter winds pic.twitter.com/V5iYn9CNOc ^[23]

— Met Office (@metoffice) September 27, 2023 ^[24]
11:15Bradley Jolly

Storm Agnes set to bring ‘violent winds,’ Met Office says

Storm Agnes is gathering intensity, Met Office says.

“There’s a rapid fall of pressure inside the centre of the low pressure and can lead to violent winds developing,” a tweet by Met Office reads.

#StormAgnes ^[25] is now undergoing ‘explosive cyclogenesis’

This occurs when there’s a rapid fall of pressure inside the centre of the low pressure and can lead to violent winds developing

Find out more here https://t.co/fJIUMCGDoZ pic.twitter.com/UM0j0bThUF ^[26]^[27]

— Met Office (@metoffice) September 26, 2023 ^[28]
11:04Bradley Jolly

Wind speeds nearly reach 70mph in Ireland

Irish Met Office says 68mph winds have been recorded on an island off the country’s south coast

“Sherkin Island recording a mean speed wind of 69kmph (44mph), gust 111 kmh (68mph),” the Irish Met Office said.

There have been felled trees, power outages and flooding across the southern county of Cork already this morning.

11:02Bradley Jolly

Tips to stay safe during Storm Agnes

John Kushnick, legal operations director at National Accident Helpline, has offered ways to stay safe furing Storm Agnes;

Avoid all work at height, do not consider going on any roof or near exposed edges, winds in excess of 23mph (Force 5) will affect a person’s balance and increase the chance of falls.
Stop work in places with a risk of falling objects or collapse of temporary structures, partially built structures, unsupported gable peaks etc.
Remove or secure loose materials which may be blown and become a hazard.
Extreme care must be taken when working with wind fallen / damaged trees, they may be unstable with the risk of crushing for people involved in cutting and removing them.
Access onto fragile roofs (corrugated iron, asbestos, PVC skylights etc.) damaged during the storm should only be undertaken with appropriate equipment to prevent falls through the roof.

10:22Bradley Jolly

As Storm Agnes approaches, Met Office issues new yellow weather warning

Periods of rain from Storm Agnes will make for a wet day for parts of Northern Ireland. Some areas will see 20-30 mm of rain within a few hours as the storm pushes northeast across the country, whilst some parts of the Mournes and Sperrins may catch up to around 40-50 mm.

Leaf fall and other debris from strong winds may block some drains, leading to an increased risk of flooding in a few spots, Met Office added as it issued a fresh weather warning for rain across most of Northern Ireland.

Agnes, the first named storm of the season, will affect western regions of the UK and Ireland today (
PA)
09:59Bradley Jolly

Fire brigade warns Dublin residents to take care

As the storm rages in Ireland at the moment, Dublin Fire Brigade has reminded residents to secure garden furniture.

It used a photo, taken during a previous storm, of a trampoline which blew away in fierce winds.

With a wind warning issued by @MetEireann ^[29] for #StormAgnes ^[30] there’s still time to secure things in the garden.

We are regularly called to trampolines and similar in places they shouldn’t be following a storm.

Rathfarnham during a previous storm pic.twitter.com/0CmWVCN1rF ^[31]

— Dublin Fire Brigade (@DubFireBrigade) September 27, 2023 ^[32]
09:39Bradley Jolly

RNLI issues advice as coastlines will be worst hit by Storm Agnes

The storm is likely to cause “dangerous conditions” on the coasts around the UK and Ireland, according to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

They advised staying a “safe distance” away from the water and cliff edges to avoid being knocked over or washed into the sea.

Sam Hughes, an RNLI water safety partner, said: “It is not worth risking your life. If you see someone else in danger in the water, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard. If you have something that floats that they can hold on to, throw it to them. Don’t go in the water yourself – you may end up in difficulty too.”

09:36Bradley Jolly

When will Storm Agnes move from Ireland across Northern Ireland?

Storm Agnes will batter Northern Ireland by lunchtime, it is understood.

The Met Office and Met Éireann have warned of the possibility of disruption to travel.

In the Republic of Ireland a status orange wind warning for counties Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Cork, Kerry, Tipperary and Waterford is in force until 17:00, while an orange warning for rain is in place for Cork, Kerry and Waterford until 15:00.

#StormAgnes ^[33] will track north-eastwards over Ireland today with disruption likely in places

It will be wet & very windy with strong to gale force southeast winds

Latest warnings https://t.co/Xg3aMJlyuS ^[34]

Latest weather forecast https://t.co/9gKN6SVok4 pic.twitter.com/ZvcMoChEF1 ^[35]^[36]

— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) September 27, 2023 ^[37]
09:18Bradley Jolly

When will gusts be at their heaviest across the UK?

Wind speeds will reach peaks – of up to 75mph – across the UK by late afternoon today, forecasters say.

Storm Agnes will be at its most intense by around 3pm or 4pm after moving slowly across Ireland. Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said in a YouTube video wind speeds in North Wales, for example, should peak at 72mph by 4pm.

Gusts will strengthen throughout the day and, after the peak, conditions will become calmer tonight.

09:02KEY EVENT

Met Office says yellow weather warning could become an amber one

The yellow weather warning in place for most of the country for wind could be escalated to an amber one, Met Office said.

Amber warnings are rarer, and only used when there is an increased likelihood of impacts from severe weather, such as the possibility of travel delays, road and rail closures, power cuts and the potential risk to life and property.

In which case, the says you should think about changing your plans and taking action to protect yourself and your property.

Speaking on a YouTube video, Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said: “Many places are in for a very windy end to the day on Wednesday and start to the day on Thursday.

“At the time of recording, we have a yellow weather warning out. It is not out of the question… that we may need to escalate to an amber. I’m not expecting us to need to but it is not out of the question.”

The areas most at risk of the change include those on the Irish Sea coastline, such as parts of North Wales, Lancashire, Cumbria and Merseyside – highlighted in purple on the map below.

A graphic shows where the strongest gales are expected today (
Met Office)
08:43Bradley Jolly

Flights have been cancelled from Cork Airport

Although Storm Agnes hasn’t reached the UK yet, it is causing disruption in Ireland. One airport has already cancelled flights due to weather conditions.

Cork Airport has suspended some Aer Lingus, KLM and Ryanair flights from the hub. As we understand, no airports in the UK have cancelled any flights as of yet.

08:41Bradley Jolly

Strong winds are already battering Ireland

Wind speeds have increased across Ireland and videos shared on social media show stormy conditions at the coast.

One clip, taken near Clonakilty, County Cork, shows waves crash against the coast and rain drive down. It is part of the first area where Storm Agnes hit after it barreled across Atlantic Ocean at pace overnight ^[38].

Responding to this video on X, formerly Twitter, one resident urged others to “batten down the hatches”.

#StormAgnes has arrived in Clonakilty Bay with driving rain accompanying the wind. pic.twitter.com/XJaTAG0uiE ^[39]^[40]

— WalterDog (@WalterofWexford) September 27, 2023 ^[41]
08:33KEY EVENT

Storm Agnes hits Ireland and lashes the country with downpours

Storm Agnes has made landfall across Ireland already. Satellite images show it moving in from the southwest and, with it, comes downpours.

“Winds will increase through this morning along with heavy rain moving up across the country,” forecaster Alan O’Reilly said on Twitter. Mr O’Reilly has warned residents to take care today.

#StormAgnes is out to the Southwest and very clearly defined on the satellite images. The rain has already arrived in the Southwest. Winds will increase through this morning along with heavy rain moving up across the country. pic.twitter.com/DsvS80ET8H ^[42]^[43]

— Carlow Weather (@CarlowWeather) September 27, 2023 ^[44]
08:25Bradley Jolly

Storm Agnes is classed as ‘a weather bomb,’ forecaster says

Storm Agnes is happening because a cold air mass has collided with a warm air mass, a feature popularly referred to as a bomb cyclone.

Therefore, Nick Finnis, a meteorologist with Netweather, says Storm Agnes is a “weather bomb” – due to its intensity.

He writes: “Winds picking up and cloud thickening in the far west, as Storm Agnes, which looks to deepen more than 24mb (a measurement for bombogenesis or bomb cyclones) in 24 hours making it a ‘weather bomb’ starts to impact the west of Ireland by dawn. Heavy rain and gales will sweep north across Ireland, N. Ireland, Irish Sea, Wales, northwest England and Scotland through the morning and afternoon.”

08:17Bradley Jolly

Scottish Environment Protection Agency reacts to flooding concerns

Addressing flooding concerns, David Morgan, flood duty manager for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), said: “Storm Agnes, the first named storm of the year, will move across Scotland tomorrow, bringing strong winds and heavy rain in many parts of the country.

“Flooding impacts are possible, particularly in south west and central areas. Along the south west coast, we may see wave overtopping and flooding of causeways, promenades, properties and roads. Impacts are expected to be localised and around high tide. We may also see minor flooding impacts from surface water and rivers.

“Flood alerts and warnings are being issued as necessary and we continue to work with the Met Office to monitor the situation 24/7. People living and working in affected areas are advised to take care if travelling and consider any steps they need to take now to be prepared and to stay safe.

“We are also encouraging people to sign up to Floodline ^[45] to receive free updates for where they live, or travel through, directly to their phone. People can also check our Flood Updates for all the latest information and the three-day Scottish Flood Forecast ^[46] to see what conditions are expected further ahead.”

Sudden downpours left roads saturated yesterday (
PAUL GILLIS / Reach PLC)
08:08Bradley Jolly

Several flood alerts are in place as heavy rain expected

With downpours expected across the country due to the storm, four flood alerts are in place in Egland and eight are in place in Scotland.

Those in Scotland concern;

Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City
Argyll and Bute
Ayrshire and Arran
Central
Dumfries and Galloway
Dundee and Angus
Tayside
West Central Scotland

Those in England concern;

North Devon coast from Hartland Point to Lynmouth
River Thame, in Oxfordshire
South Devon coast from Start Point to Dawlish Warren
Upper River Derwent, in Cumbria

08:00Bradley Jolly

Meteorologist shares full hour-by-hour forecast today

Netweather has identified what exactly the UK can expect every hour as Storm Agnes hits. For the full breakdown, visit this link ^[47].

Nick Finnis, meteorologist with Netweather, writes on the service’s blog: “Particularly disturbed weather is on the cards mid-week, as a deep low looks to track northeast across Ireland and northern Britain on Wednesday – bringing stormy conditions with gales or severe gales in the north and west.

“Although the deep depression may be at its deepest phase to the southwest of Ireland before filling as it moves over the British Isles, it could still pack a punch of gales or severe gales across the north and west on Wednesday, GFS (weather charts) showing 70-80mph over Ireland and exposed Irish Sea coasts of Britain. Also, there will likely be heavy rain or showers in the mix.”

Strong winds and heavy rain are set to batter the UK today (
PA)

References

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