Storm Debi batters Britain: Huge waves crash into Blackpool …
Britain has been battered by powerful 80mph winds and torrential downpours as Storm Debi arrived in the UK today.
Northern Ireland, northwest Wales and northern England have been hit with more than 60mph winds this afternoon, while even stronger winds are expected to reach 75mph or even 80mph in exposed coastal locations later today.
Those living near the sea have been told to keep away from the waterfront, with huge waves seen battering Blackpool seafront this morning.
Powerful winds have also wrecked havoc across Ireland with several reports of fallen trees across the country while around 100,000 homes and businesses are also without power.
People in the UK are bracing for similar outages as they have been warned that cuts to power may occur as Storm Debi is expected to batter telecommunication and power lines, knocking out connections for those across the north east.
The Met Office[2] issued an amber weather warning for wind, active from 10am until 4pm, for parts of the North West covering coastal areas north of Liverpool up to Whitehaven, with the potential for flying debris to present a danger to life.
The Met office has also issued a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms, which is in place between 5am and 12pm tomorrow across the south of England, from London[3] to Cornwall.
Those in coastal areas have been advised to keep away from the waterfront, with huge waves seen battering Brighton seafront this morning
A fallen tree on the Coes Road in Dundalk, Co Louth, in Irleand. Heavy winds and fallen trees have been reported across the country today as Storm Debi has arrived across the UK
Drivers get caught in deep surface water on the A3 slip road Kingston by pass, south-west London after heavy rain this morning
An amber weather warning has been issued for parts of north-west England as Storm Debi hits the UK, bringing heavy rain and severe gale-force winds
Roads and bridges are also likely to close, meaning longer journey times and public transport. Other cancellations are possible, with road, rail, air and ferry services to be affected.
Chief meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said: ‘Storm Debi has developed rapidly overnight and will bring impacts across parts of the UK today.
‘Because of the particular risk of impacts to parts of County Armagh and County Down this morning and parts of north-west England through much of the day we have issued two amber wind warnings.’
Weather warnings have been issued for large parts of the UK, as the storm is forecast to sweep across Ireland before reaching northern England and parts of Wales today, with the potential for 80mph gusts in some areas.
A yellow warning for wind, the lowest level of alert, will be in place from 4am until 6pm for areas including Bangor and St Davids in Wales and Manchester, Sheffield and Liverpool in England.
Aberdeenshire in Scotland will have a yellow warning for rain from 10am until 9pm.
Parts of north-east Scotland likely to see heavy rain were also battered by Storm Babet last month, including Brechin in Angus, where hundreds of homes had to be evacuated after the river South Esk breached its banks.
Jonathan Vautrey, meteorologist for the Met Office, urged people to ‘take care before you travel’ as morning rush hour is expected to be affected.
He said: ‘There will be some heavy rainfall, the potential for flying debris, the potential for disruption to travel and infrastructure in places.’
Storm Debi has developed rapidly overnight and will bring impacts across parts of the UK today, Met Office meteorologists have claimed
Weather warnings have been issued for large parts of the UK, as the storm is forecast to sweep across Ireland before reaching northern England and parts of Wales today, with the potential for 80mph gusts in some areas
A yellow warning for wind, the lowest level of alert, will be in place from 4am until 6pm for areas including Bangor and St Davids in Wales and Manchester, Sheffield and Liverpool in England. Aberdeenshire in Scotland will have a yellow warning for rain from 10am until 9pm
Very strong winds will move across the northern areas of the UK today, while it will remain rather mild in the south
Storm Debi combined with high tide brings large crashing waves, battering against the sea defences along Aberystwyth seafront in Ceredigion, Wales, this morning
A fallen tree on the Dublin Road in Dundalk, Irleand, where heavy winds have been reported across the country
Commuters attempt to shelter during wet and windy weather on London Bridge in central London as storm Debi arrives in the UK
Meanwhile, forecasters had warned of a potential ‘danger to life’ as schools in parts of Ireland delayed opening due to weather warnings across the island.
A yellow warning for every county in Ireland came into effect at midnight and is due to remain until 3pm on Monday, and the majority of people are also living in areas where the Irish meteorological agency has issued red warnings due to ‘severe and damaging gusts’.
A second red warning is in effect for Dublin, Kildare, Laois, Louth, Meath, Wicklow, Offaly and Westmeath until 9am.
A status orange wind warning also applies to these counties as well as Longford, Cavan, Monaghan, Kilkenny, Longford, Clare, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Carlow and the rest of Galway and Roscommon from 2am until 10am.
Dublin Airport warned the weather ‘may cause some disruption to early morning flights’, while the Luas said there will be no Red or Green Line tram services operating before approximately 10am.
Dublin Coach said a number of its services had been cancelled because of the weather warnings with updates to be provided throughout the day.
Dublin Bus said none of its services will operate before 10am on Monday due to Storm Debi, and there will be a phased return with some disruptions later in the day.
A separate overnight red warning for east Galway and south Roscommon was extended until 7am. A yellow warning applies to every county in Ireland until 3pm today.
Ireland’s National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG) advised schools and pre-schools in several counties to remain closed until 10am today.
A spokesman for the Irish electricity company ESB said approximately 100,000 customers were without power supply at 7:45am on Monday due to Storm Debi.
Commuters walking across London Bridge today were caught in heavy downpours as Storm Debi arrives on UK shores
A car creates a splash as it drives through a flooded road in Greenwich, south-east London, following torrential this morning
Commuters shelter during wet weather at Westcombe Park station in Greenwich, south-east London, this morning as Storm Debi arrives in the UK
Storm Debi will bring heavy rain to parts of the UK today. Pictured: A lorry drives along a flooded street in south-east London this morning
Jason Kelly, chief meteorologist at the Met Office, said: ‘The strongest winds are expected to affect parts of the Republic of Ireland early on Monday, possibly coinciding with the morning commute, before affecting parts of north Wales and northern England into the afternoon.
‘Whilst the very strongest winds will have eased somewhat before reaching the UK, we are still expecting some significant impacts, and a wind warning has been issued.
‘Additionally, Debi will bring a period of heavy rain to Northern Ireland[4] for which a combined wind and rain warning has been issued.’
Simon Partridge, a spokesman for the Met Office, added: ‘For parts of north-west Wales and England, there is a possibility of 70 to 80mph winds.
‘It will be a wet and blustery day for all.’
References
- ^ Natasha Anderson (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Met Office (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ London (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Northern Ireland (www.dailymail.co.uk)