Almost 30 flood warnings in place as ‘monster’ Storm Ciaran now …

Parts of Britain are already flooding as "monster" Storm Ciarán ^[1] is set to make landfall in just hours.

The Channel Islands are set to be worst hit with a red "risk to life" warning put in place by the Jersey Met Service and winds of 100mph a possibility for Thursday morning. People have also been advised to stay indoors and amid travel chaos, coastal roads are to be closed as will the airport on Jersey to commercial flights.

Unsettled conditions are predicted for many parts of the country ^[2] today even as the storm is not set to make landfall until Thursday. The storm, named by the Met Office ^[3], is expected to arrive in Southwestern parts of England and Wales in the early hours of tomorrow morning, before moving to the far south and southeast of England later in the day.

There are currently 29 flood warnings in place across England, Scotland and Wales with heavy rain and strong winds of up to 90mph predicted. Parts of Northern Ireland including Co Down are already seeing significant flooding, with images of cars buried in water.

Forecasters warned very strong northwesterly winds could disrupt travel and cause structural damage while flying debris could be a danger to life. Roads, bridges and railway lines may also close while trains and planes are at risk of delays. The Met Office said there is also potential for large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties.

Yellow warnings for wind and rain are already in place across parts of England, Scotland and Wales between Wednesday and Friday. People all around the UK have been warned of the risk of flooding of homes and businesses, as well as delays on the roads due to spray. The Met Office has also issued amber weather warnings for much of the south coast of England on Thursday.

Jeff Beradelli, a US climate specialist who used to work for CBS News, said on X (formerly Twitter ^[4]): "A monster 950mb storm Ciaran is heading for Europe with 'landfall' near the English Channel Wed-Thu. 950mb would be a near record low pressure for region (equiv cat 3 hurr pres). 80mph coast gusts /35 ft+ waves. The storm is powered by a buckling, wicked 200 mb jet stream aloft.”

Met Office Chief Meteorologist Dan Suri, warned that strong gusts of 80mph are possible in some coastal areas in the south of England. She said: “Tomorrow, ahead of Storm Ciarán, a squally cold front will move eastwards across southern and southeast England bringing bursts of heavy rain and coastal gusts of 60-70mph, mainly from Dorset eastwards.

“Wind and rain warnings associated with Storm Ciarán are in force from Wednesday night onwards into Friday, with further updates possible on Wednesday. These include amber warning for winds for southwestern parts of England and Wales Thursday early hours and morning and the far south and southeast of England Thursday daytime and early evening. Storm Ciarán is expected to bring very strong along southern coastal areas of England in particular where gusts of 70 to 80mph are possible, gusts perhaps exceeding 85 mph in the most exposed locations. Further inland, gusts could reach up to 50 or 60mph.^[5]

Follow our live blog for all the latest developments below...

15:41Monica Charsley

DFDS Ferries cancels all UK-France ferries

DFDS Ferries has announced it has cancelled all ferries between the UK and France in response to the "extreme weather conditions".

The company confirmed that the suspension will take place from Wednesday evening to Friday morning and apologised to its customers.

A spokesperson said: “We regret to inform that sailings from the 11.59pm departure on 1 November until and including the 2am departure on 3 November have been suspended due to the extreme weather conditions. We apologise for any inconvenience caused and we appreciate your understanding in this matter. Rest assured that the safety of our passengers remains our utmost priority. For passengers affected by the cancellation, our customer service representatives are available to assist you with rebooking options or answer any questions you may have. We understand the disappointment this may cause, and we appreciate your patience.”

14:34Monica Charsley

Storm Ciaran 'forming as we speak', warns Met Office

The Met Office has warned the storm is "forming as we speak" as the forecaster alerted members of the public. It comes as “danger to life” amber weather warnings have been issued for Thursday with Brits told to brace themselves for possible flooding.

Two amber warnings, the second highest level of alert, are in place for parts of the south coast of England on Thursday, together with further yellow rain warnings, the lowest level, meaning some disruption could be on the way.

Met Office spokesman Oli Claydon said: “There will be very dangerous conditions on the coastline, large waves. We’d urge people not to go near the water’s edge. Rain warnings are in place, there will be some very saturated grounds bringing an additional hazard.”

Meanwhile, the Environment Agency told Brits to prepare for “possible significant flooding” across parts of England from Wednesday to Friday, with some significant coastal impacts also possible but not expected on Thursday.

Ben Lukey, flood duty manager at the Environment Agency, said: “Large waves and onshore gales brought by Storm Ciaran could see significant flooding along parts of the south coast tomorrow, while minor impacts are possible along the coast from Dorset to Sussex this evening and along parts of the Yorkshire and North East coasts on Thursday. Rain from the storm could also see significant surface water and river flooding across parts of the West, South and North East of England from later today until Friday, with minor impacts possible more widely on Saturday due to further showers."

14:18Monica Charsley

Jersey airport to shut all day on Thursday

Jersey airport will close to all passenger flights on Thursday. Passengers were told that the airport will only remain open for emergency and medical flights. The airport will open back up on Friday after a visual inspection is carried out of its infrastructure.

EasyJet announced the airline has cancelled all flights to Jersey in response to the closure. A spokesperson for easyJet commented: “Following the decision by Jersey Airport to close, we have cancelled our flights to and from Jersey and will continue to monitor the weather closely.”

They continued: “Due to strong winds forecast from Storm Ciaran impacting parts of southern UK on Thursday, like other airlines we are expecting some disruption to our flying programme. We continue to advise all passengers due to fly with us on Thursday to check the status of their flights … and to allow extra time to travel to the airport due to the impact of the weather on local public transport services.”

13:52Tim Hanlon

Exact time severe winds from storm Ciaran will batter UK

Storm Ciarán's ^[6] monster winds ^[7] will ravage parts of the country during Thursday morning rush hour, a forecaster from the Met Office ^[8] said.

Weather ^[9] maps created by the Met Office highlight where winds will be strongest for the rest of the week. Southwest England and the southwestern tip of Wales will experience the heaviest gales, of up to 85mph in coastal areas. But worst hit will be the Channel Islands were winds could reach 100mph.

Strong winds will hit Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and a small part of Wales between dawn and midday on Thursday, Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill says in a video on Met Office's YouTube page.

The south-eastern regions will experience gales during Thursday afternoon as the storm sweeps east. Mr Burkill said: "It's most likely during the early part of Thursday through from dawn to midday that we're going to see the strongest winds, exceptionally strong winds impacting us as we go through morning rush hour.

"Then further east, we will have winds of 70mph to 80mph slightly later on in the day. Those strong winds will continue as we go through evening rush hour on Thursday. There will be some really difficult conditions during rush hour because of the wind but also because of the rain as well."

( Sienna Anderson/pictureexclusive.com) 13:35Tim Hanlon

Will there be any respite from wind and rain after Storm Ciaran?

People eagerly wondering if there will be any respite from heavy showers and strong winds after Storm Ciaran have been given an update from BBC weather.

The UK has been hit by unsettled weather with this storm coming quickly on the back of Babet and unfortunately the outlook for the next few weeks isn’t for much of an improvement. Forecasters are saying that it will remain “very unsettled” with wind and rain although there is less certainty by the end of the month.

BBC weather states: “The next couple of weeks will see a disturbed pattern affect the UK, with frequent bouts of rain or showers, some heavy, along with occasionally strong winds. It looks like being such an active low-pressure set-up that we could be in for at least a couple or more rather stormy periods, with risks of disruption from heavy rain, strong winds or a combination of both.

“Low pressure could be a weaker feature from mid-November, with some less unsettled periods more likely, at least in southern areas of the UK.”

And the outlook for November 1-5 reads: "Very unsettled conditions are going to linger through the coming week. On Wednesday morning a band of frontal rain looks to move across, some of it heavy. On Wednesday evening we are watching for Storm Ciarán to move in from the south-west. It could deepen quickly before moving across England overnight into Thursday, hitting the UK with a risk of some very strong winds along with a period of heavy rain.

"The rest of the week should stay unsettled, with another vigorous low pressure system possible at the weekend, which should target the southern UK more than the north. Suffice to say, some disruptive weather is possible in early November."

13:17Tim Hanlon

Exact spot in the UK likely to feel no wind in the eye of the storm

Brits in the UK are to be battered by winds of up to 100mph but one area in the eye of the storm won’t feel any wind.

Storm Ciaran is moving in from the south west and is expected to land overnight with its full force felt on Thursday. There are amber warnings in place for strong winds in the south of England and the Channel Islands are expected to be hit worst.

But BBC weather has told how the area of the UK that is in the centre of the low pressure will “barely have enough wind to rattle a bin lid”.

It tweeted: “As #StormCiaran crosses the UK tomorrow, those near the centre of the low pressure will barely have enough wind to rattle a bin lid. Contrast that with the raging winds expected to affect the Channel Islands and some English Channel coasts during the morning rush hour.”

And on the graphic from the BBC the area which appears to be in the eye of the storm is around Banbury in Oxfordshire. At the same time forecasters have pointed out that as the low pressure is still moving in and forming Storm Ciaran it is difficult to say with precision where it will hit exactly.

As #StormCiarán ^[10] crosses the UK tomorrow, those near the centre of the low pressure will barely have enough wind to rattle a bin lid.

Contrast that with the raging winds expected to affect the Channel Islands and some English Channel coasts during the morning rush hour. pic.twitter.com/Z3zJ2Xih7m ^[11]

— BBC Weather (@bbcweather) November 1, 2023 ^[12] 12:53Tim Hanlon

Channel Islanders could face worst storm in more than 36 years

Channel Islanders are being told to prepare for severe winds in what could be the worst storm in more than 36 years.

Storm Ciaran is expected to bring winds of up to 100mph on Thursday with people told to stay at home. Schools are to be closed while there will be traffic chaos with the airport shut to commercial flights, some coastal roads not open and the ferry routes will also be affected.

The Guernsey government said: “Based on latest forecasts, which are regularly being reviewed, severe weather is due to arrive on Wednesday 1st November with the worst of the storm predicted to hit in the early hours of Thursday 2nd November. Significant disruption is expected during these times.

“With predicted winds of up to 95mph, islanders are being advised to stay at home if possible and not travel unless essential.”

Forecasters are saying that the storm could be as bad as that which hit the UK in 1987. And there are fears that the winds along with possible 30 feet waves could cause plenty of damage.

Authorities have told people with boats to check they are tightly moored and have bilge pumps operating.

Nick Guillemette, president of the Guernsey Boatowners Association, said he remembered the 1987 storm and that the worst part was the “stuff flying through the air”, reported the BBC.

He said: "We had an old vinery that was next door to us with a lot of broken, dilapidated glass. I found a piece of glass embedded in the door of my barn that had flown through the night. Luckily, it happened at night when kids weren't going to school."

12:11Tim Hanlon

Latest Met Office warnings in force

Brits are facing strong winds and heavy rain over the coming days from Storm Ciaran and here are the latest warnings from the Met Office.

There are two amber "risk to life" warnings for wind that are in place for the south west (3am to 11am) and south east (6am to 5pm) of England on Thursday.

A yellow warning for wind also covers south Wales and southern England which runs from 9pm tonight until 11:59pm tomorrow. There are yellow warnings for rain that cover southern and western England and Wales (from 6pm today until 11:59pm tomorrow) and north eastern England and eastern Scotland (from 6am tomorrow until 6am on Friday).

The Met Office has also given an update that a yellow warning for rain covering Northern Ireland on Thursday has been cancelled.

Several severe weather warnings have been issued and updated ahead of #StormCiarán ^[13] due to arrive on Wednesday night.Here's a summary:

An Amber warning for WIND covers Southwest England from Thursday 0300 until 1100

An Amber warning for WIND covers Southeast England…

— Met Office (@metoffice) November 1, 2023 ^[14] 11:54KEY EVENT

Amber warnings map updated as focus of Storm Ciaran becomes clearer

The Met Office has updated its “danger to life” amber warning maps for Thursday that are affecting the south of the UK.

Storm Ciaran will sweep in from the west overnight and through tomorrow bringing very high winds and heavy rain with a series of Met Office warnings in place.

It has now updated the two amber warnings tweeting: “Areas now more focused for where the strongest and most damaging winds associated with #StormCiarán will be Southwest England: Thursday 0300 – 1100 Southeast England: Thursday 0600 – 1700.”

It also stated: “Very strong northwesterly winds associated with Storm Ciarán could disrupt travel, utilities and may cause some structural damage.”

What to expect

Flying debris could result in a danger to life
Damage to buildings and homes is possible, with roofs blown off and trees and power lines brought down
Roads, bridges and railway lines may close, with delays and cancellations to bus, train, ferry services and flights
Power cuts could occur and affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage
There is potential for large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties

Amber weather warnings UPDATED

Areas now more focused for where the strongest and most damaging winds associated with #StormCiarán ^[15] will be

Southwest England: Thursday 0300 – 1100

Southeast England: Thursday 0600 – 1700

Latest info https://t.co/QwDLMfRBfs… pic.twitter.com/hCAhyxJ79i ^[16]^[17]

— Met Office (@metoffice) November 1, 2023 ^[18] 11:38Tim Hanlon

More than 16,000 homes blacked out by power cuts

More than 16,000 properties in Hampshire were blacked out this morning following a power cut.

Homes, shops, offices and schools were all plunged into darkness with Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks saying "about 16,000 addresses in North Baddesley, Wellow and parts of Romsey were among those affected".

SSEN said it was working to find the cause and that most customers had power restored within an hour. In a statement issued shortly after 9am, the firm apologised to customers and said it anticipated the 800 remaining homes affected should have had their power restored by midday.

The Mountbatten School in Romsey said it had made the decision to close for the day due to the power cut. In a letter to parents, headteacher Andrew Portas said "Whilst the loss of power in itself would not usually be an issue, the school water supply and sewage disposal rely on electrically powered pumps.

"This means that the students would not be able to use the toilets and the school would not have access to fresh water. It's an academy with 1,420 pupils aged 11 to 16. Parents have reported school buses taking children back home this morning as a result."

It comes after SSEN issued a yellow alert as Storm Ciarán sweeps in. It stated the decision was made "as a result of the increasing certainty about the storm’s duration and route, and the potential it has to cause damage to the electricity network."

11:22Tim Hanlon

Thousands of sandbags have been put down in areas of Northern Ireland hit by flooding

Around 12,000 sandbags have been laid in areas of Northern Ireland that have been hit by flooding.

An estimated 80 businesses in Newry are counting the cost after the city's canal burst its banks on Monday night, submerging sections under water. The city's courthouse has been temporarily closed with business moved to Craigavon.

The department of justice said the measure was to allow for remedial works to take place and to make sure the staff and public are kept safe. "Court business will return to Newry Courthouse as soon as possible," they added.

Roads and some train services have been disrupted in counties Down, Antrim and Armagh amid rising waters. On Wednesday, public transport authority Translink said the Bangor train line will remain closed until further notice.

The Department for Infrastructure said it has remained on high alert. It received almost 800 calls to its flooding incident line, and has distributed more than 12,000 sandbags to the areas worst affected.

A spokesperson said river and lough levels continue to be monitored as levels rise and will continue be monitored over the coming days. "People are urged to stay away from flood defences, flooded areas and watercourses," they added.

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for rain for the eastern half of Northern Ireland on Thursday.

10:41Tim Hanlon

More than a month’s rain falls in two days in Northern Ireland

Torrential showers have been battering Northern Ireland with more than a month's worth landing in just two days.

Even before the full force of Storm Ciaran hits, the UK has been saturated by heavy downpours which has created flooding. And as an example, Killowen, in Northern Ireland has had 110.4mm of rain from 7am on Monday to the same time on Wednesday with the average for October being just 100.5mm.

The BBC looking ahead does add that there will be some pauses to the downpours, stating: “Rain expected to be more showery over the next few days, with some longer drier spells.”

But currently there are road closures and place and some public transport has been cancelled. The railway line to Bangor is shut shut due to flooding and train services to Derry have been stopped at Coleraine with buses in place. Some roads in Co Down and Co Armagh, such as Killowen, Moira, Ballynahinch and Bangor have also been impassable.

Over a months worth of rain has fallen in parts of Northern Ireland in the space of just two days.

Flooding impacts are ongoing https://t.co/ZWF9xlPKhs ^[19]

Rain expected to be more showery over the next few days, with some longer drier spells pic.twitter.com/zeLLBWZ1Lm ^[20]

— BBC Weather (@bbcweather) November 1, 2023 ^[21] 10:14Tim Hanlon

'Devastating hurricane winds' for Channel Islands' coast, according to Beaufort scale

Extreme wind speeds of up to 100mph expected on the Channel Islands can cause “devastation”, according to the Beaufort wind scale.

The Jersey Met Service has issued a red warning due to the ferocity of the winds from Storm Ciaran. And it has told people to “avoid outside activity. Follow advice of authorities”.

It has also published a maritime Beaufort wind scale which shows 100mph winds coming under maximum force 12 which is a hurricane. The description for this reads: “Devastation. Air filled with foam and spray, very poor visibility.”

People on Jersey have been told that the coastal roads are to be closed from Wednesday evening ahead of the arrival of Storm Ciaran. Satellite imagery shows the position of Storm Ciaran right now, with a low pressure in the Atlantic and it is expected to gather force as it first hits the south west of England and Wales.

With #StormCiaran expected to impact the Channel Islands tonight and into Thursday, we've been using some rarely seen Beaufort forces in our wind forecast. The table below shows the expected mean wind speed and the potential impacts at that Beaufort force. pic.twitter.com/u9OH6UAWa2 ^[22]^[23]

— Jersey Met (@Jersey_Met) November 1, 2023 ^[24] 09:49Tim Hanlon

Storm Ciaran is going through process of ‘explosive cyclogenesis’

BBC weather forecaster Simon King says that Storm Ciaran is now “rapidly developing” and the low pressure is deepening in a process called explosive cyclogenesis.

He said: "Damaging gusts of wind and stormy seas are expected in southern parts of the United Kingdom. Heavy rain will also spread northwards which may lead on to further flooding issues. Travel disruption is likely in some areas so the advice is to stay tuned to updates.

"Storm Ciaran is rapidly developing on its approach to the UK later on Wednesday. In a process called explosive cyclogenesis, the low pressure system will deepen by over 24 millibars in 24 hours. Winds will strengthen from late Wednesday and through Thursday as Storm Ciarán approaches from the south-west.

"The most powerful winds are expected in the English Channel hitting the Channel Islands and north-west France where wind gusts of up to 100mph (161km/h) are predicted."

Mr King said there were red warnings in place in France. "In north-west France, red warnings have been issued by Météo-France with Brittany expected to be badly hit. Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin has appealed for people 'not to go out during the night from Wednesday into Thursday' across the entire country," he stated.

09:13KEY EVENT

Red warning issued for winds up to 98mph in Channel Islands

A red warning has been issued for the Channel Islands due to extreme winds from Storm Ciaran.

The Jersey Met Service has said that winds could reach up to 98mph or 85 knots on Thursday morning when the full force of the storm is expected to hit. It is also expected that rough sea and high tides will have a significant impact.

The Jersey Met Service states for a red warning people are to “avoid outside activity. Follow advice of authorities.”

The weather warning says: “S to SE severe gale F9 with gusts to 60kt expected soon veering SW to W violent storm F11 with gusts to 85kt later.”

Wind Warning 1/11 issued 08:52 UTC Wednesday 01 November 2023 pic.twitter.com/CtTrVbIBNu ^[25]

— CI Weather Warnings (@Jersey_MetCI) November 1, 2023 ^[26] 08:59Tim Hanlon

Rail operators warn of severe travel disruption

Rail passengers across the south of the country are set for severe travel disruption from Storm Ciaran.

Great Western Railway, Gatwick Express, Thameslink, Southern, southeastern, Cross country and South Western Railway are among the rail operators who have advised travellers to expect services to be disrupted.

GWR stated: “In anticipation of significant high winds and heavy rain late on Wednesday evening and Thursday, train services are expected to be affected. Customers are advised not to travel in Cornwall from Wednesday evening until midday on Thursday; trains, and bus replacement services being provided for planned engineering work, will be cancelled between St Austell and Penzance, St Erth and St Ives.”

It continued: “On Thursday GWR will operate as many trains on as many routes as is safe to do so, however the potential for flooding and fallen trees on the railway will mean some routes are likely to close, causing short notice cancellations and alterations interrupting and delaying journeys.”

People are also told to expect problems on Friday “as Network Rail works to check and clear debris and fallen trees over 1,000 miles of track”. Meanwhile, Southeastern said it was “high likely” that trains will be cancelled and speed restrictions would be imposed.

08:39Tim Hanlon

Where the worst rain will hit from Storm Ciaran

The Met Office has warned that 80mm of rain could fall in the worst hit areas of the UK from Storm Ciaran.

The south coast of England and the Channel Islands are to receive the brunt of the storm with amber warnings in place for Thursday with the low pressure currently to the south west of the country.

The Met Office states for rainfall in southern England and Wales: “Heavy from Wednesday evening. 20-30mm widely, with 40-60mm locally. Parts of southwest England and Wales may see totals reach 80mm.”

For eastern facing hills in northern England and Scotland the outlook is: “40-60mm likely from Thursday morning to Friday morning, with 60-80mm possible more locally.”

The forecast for North Wales and southern Pennines is: “Potential for 30-50mm over north Wales, with 60-80mm accumulating over high ground.”

And for south east Northern Ireland: “Potential to see a further 10-20mm, 30-40mm over the Mourne mountains.”

As well as strong winds, #StormCiarán ^[27] will also bring heavy and persistent rain across much of the UK

Find out more about the warnings here https://t.co/QwDLMfRBfs ^[28]

Stay #WeatherAware pic.twitter.com/guKIm2zfLK ^[29]^[30]

— Met Office (@metoffice) October 31, 2023 ^[31] 08:20Tim Hanlon

Coastal roads in Jersey to close due to storm

People on Jersey have been told that the coastal roads are to be closed from Wednesday evening ahead of the arrival of Storm Ciaran.

Islanders have been told to prepare for the full impact of the storm by the government as wind speeds are expected to reach up to 90mph.

Residents have been advised to work from home where possible so as to “reduce the risk” put on essential services.

It means that Victoria Avenue and Havre des Pas will both close from 5.30pm on Wednesday and owners of vehicles parked in laybys one to four on Victoria Avenue have been asked to remove them, reported the BBC.

The government has advised islanders also not to stop at coastal car parks and it said it was working to ensure road closures were managed “effectively”. The Elizabeth Terminal at the port will be closed to the public on Thursday and the storm gate in Elizabeth Marina was closed on Tuesday.

07:58KEY EVENT

Where Storm Ciaran is right now as it hurtles towards the UK

Brits are preparing for the full force of Storm Ciaran to hit tonight with it currently moving in from the south west.

Satellite imagery shows the low pressure in the Atlantic and it is expected to gather force as it first hits the south west of England and Wales.

There are amber warnings in place on Thursday for strong winds that could reach up to 90mph while there are further alerts for heavy rain.

( Anadolu via Getty Images)

"Storm Ciarán will move northeastwards with heavy rain and damaging winds affecting many parts of England and Wales," states the Met Office forecast for Thursday.

The amber warnings run from 6am to 8pm along the south coast of England and they state: "Very strong winds associated with Storm Ciarán may disrupt travel, utilities, and cause some structural damage."

07:41Tim Hanlon

Supermarket shelves bare as shoppers stock up

People have rushed to stock up on essentials at supermarkets in the Channel Islands leaving shelves bare.

Winds of up to 90mph are expected to batter the islands from Storm Ciaran and the rush to buy food comes over fear that there will be no sailings for a week.

While retail firms have told local residents that there will be no problem with the supply chain, Condor Ferries who brings freight to the Channel Islands from the UK and France has said it is "evaluating options" to ensure that food and other essentials arrive.

A spokesperson for Co-op told ITV News: "We are aware of the expected forecasts and are taking all steps we can to mitigate any potential issues. Unfortunately, due to the expected forecast, we can expect disruptions to supply across both islands for goods being received. We would like to reassure shoppers that steps are being taken to minimise any negative impact."

07:21Tim Hanlon

Snow to fall amidst wind and rain today

Brits could face snow showers in parts of the country ahead of the full brunt of Storm Ciaran hitting tonight.

BBC weather forecaster Ben Rich said that snow is expected on higher ground in Scotland during Wednesday. He stated: "An area of low pressure is deepening and will continue to deepen as it continues in our direction.

"In the short term this frontal system pushing its way north eastwards through Wednesday, that is going to bring outbreaks of pretty heavy rain, some squally gusty winds across the south east corner first thing, as this band of rain makes its way eastwards. A band of heavy rain pushing out of Northern Ireland and northern England and then up across Scotland, briefly some snow on high ground, then turning back to rain.

"Windy in the north and west of Scotland. Sunshine and showers developing for Northern Ireland, England and Wales with temperatures of 7C to 14C in most places. And then as we move into the evening and overnight this is when Storm Ciaran starts to make its move with very heavy rain swinging its way in and some really strong winds."

07:00Tim Hanlon

People told to prepare for Storm Ciaran and avoid flooding on coastal roads

People are being urged to prepare for the threat of flooding from Storm Ciaran and take “extreme care on coastal paths and promenades”.

Significant inland flooding across parts of England is possible from Wednesday to Friday, said the Environment Agency.

Ben Lukey, flood duty manager at the Environment Agency, said: "Large waves and onshore gales caused by Storm Ciarán mean significant flooding is possible along parts of the south coast on Thursday, with minor impacts possible more widely. Flooding is also possible along parts of the coasts of Yorkshire and the north east on Thursday.

"Heavy rain from the storm could see significant surface water flooding from Wednesday evening to Friday and rivers flood on Thursday and Friday in parts of the south and the north east. Environment Agency teams are out on the ground operating assets, working with partners and present in those communities that have experienced flooding, looking to minimise the impact on residents.

"We urge people to stay safe on the coast and to remember to take extreme care on coastal paths and promenades. Flooding of low-lying coastal roads is also possible and people must avoid driving through flood water, as just 30cm of flowing water is enough to move your car."

06:38Tim Hanlon

Travel chaos expected this morning from heavy rain and winds

The Met Office is predicting travel chaos in south England, parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland due to heavy rain and strong winds.

There are yellow warnings across the south coast with one that runs from 5am to 9am today stating: “Travel disruption is possible from a combination of heavy rain and strong winds on Wednesday morning."

People are told to expect:

Some interruption to power supplies and other services likely and damage to trees is also possible
Spray and flooding on roads probably making journey times longer
Delays for high-sided vehicles on exposed routes and bridges likely
Some short term loss of power and other services is possible
It’s likely that some coastal routes, sea fronts and coastal communities will be affected by spray and/or large waves
Some delays to road, rail, air and ferry transport are likely

A wet and windy start to Wednesday for many so take care when travelling and make sure to stay up to date with weather warnings pic.twitter.com/SE4Y2JJ66k ^[32]

— Met Office (@metoffice) October 31, 2023 ^[33] 06:26Tim Hanlon

'Significant flooding' is possible says Environment Agency

Kate Marks, flood duty manager at the Environment Agency said "significant flooding" is possible from Storm Ciaran.

With water levels already high due to heavy rain from Storm Babet, it means that the extra rainfall is likely to quickly cause flooding.

Ms Marks said: "We advise people to stay away from swollen rivers and urge people not to drive through flood water as just 30cm of flowing water is enough to move your car."

The Environment Agency had issued 24 flood warnings for England by 3am on Wednesday morning with 108 flood alerts.

Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Dan Suri said: "Some parts of south Wales and southwest England may see 80mm of rain," he said. "This rain will fall on already saturated ground, bringing the risk of flooding."

06:15Tim Hanlon

Winds could reach 90mph from Storm Ciaran in Channel Islands

Brits are being warned of very strong winds that will sweep in on Thursday and could reach 90mph on Thursday.

BBC weather forecaster Ben Rich said after very wet end to October there will be plenty more wind and rain for the start of November with the third named storm.

He said: "This is where Storm Ciaran starts to make its move with very heavy rain making its way across the south of the UK and some very strong winds. Isobars here on the pressure chart really squeezing together.

"There are Met Office amber warnings that have been issued for parts of south west Wales, especially south west England and then along the south coast and up into East Anglia. Inland gust of up to 75mph, coastal parts likely to see gusts of up to 80mph. And not covered by Met Office weather warnings but the Channel Islands could see the worst of the weather with gusts here could reach 90mph. With those some strong winds some very heavy rain.”

05:50Georgia Diebelius

'Danger to life' as winds set to hit highs of 85mph

Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Dan Suri warned a cold front would bring bursts of heavy rain and coastal gusts of 60 to 70mph along the south coast today.

He said: "Wind and rain warnings associated with Storm Ciaran are in force from Wednesday night onwards into Friday. As well as strong winds, this deep low pressure system will bring heavy rain to many parts of the UK.

"Much of southern England and south Wales, as well as parts of north Wales, northeast England, southeast Scotland and perhaps the east of Northern Ireland look to see the wettest conditions between Wednesday evening and Friday morning."

He said 20 to 25mm of rain may fall in many places with 40 to 60mm possible over higher ground.

"Some parts of south Wales and southwest England may see 80mm of rain," he said. "This rain will fall on already saturated ground, bringing the risk of flooding."

An amber warning in place for Thursday, from 3am to 1pm in Cornwall, Devon and the extreme west coast of Pembrokeshire, warns of 'very strong northwesterly winds associated with Storm Ciarán.

The storm will bring winds of 75 to 85mph with 65 to 75mph gusts inland. Across the south coast, from Dorset eastwards, the amber warning runs from 6am to 8pm with winds expected to reach 70 to 80 mph with the potential for 85mph and large waves.

The warning says wind could disrupt travel, power lines and cause structural damage with flying debris providing a threat to life.

05:34Georgia Diebelius

Weather warnings issued across UK

Amber warnings are in place for the entire south coast of England and parts of Pembrokeshire this Thursday, when Storm Ciaran is due to hit, together with further yellow rain warnings.

The storm has already caused flooding in Northern Ireland, where a yellow rain warning from the Met Office is in place until 9am today.

A similar notice has been issued for parts of southwest, central and eastern Scotland from 3am to 3pm and in southern parts of England and Wales from 6pm on Wednesday until the end of Thursday.

A further yellow warning for rain and wind has been issued across the southeast coast from 5am to 9am on Wednesday with a yellow warning for wind across southern England and parts of South Wales from 6pm on Wednesday and throughout Thursday.

The Environment Agency has so far issued 24 flood warnings for England with 112 flood alerts, whereas Scotland and Wales have issued one flood warning each.

References

^{^} Storm Ciarán (www.mirror.co.uk)
^{^} predicted for many parts of the country (www.mirror.co.uk)
^{^} Met Office (www.mirror.co.uk)
^{^} Twitter (www.mirror.co.uk)
^{^} amber warning for winds (www.metoffice.gov.uk)
^{^} Storm Ciarán's (www.mirror.co.uk)
^{^} winds (www.mirror.co.uk)
^{^} Met Office (www.mirror.co.uk)
^{^} Weather (www.mirror.co.uk)
^{^} #StormCiarán (twitter.com)
^{^} pic.twitter.com/Z3zJ2Xih7m (t.co)
^{^} November 1, 2023 (twitter.com)
^{^} #StormCiarán (twitter.com)
^{^} November 1, 2023 (twitter.com)
^{^} #StormCiarán (twitter.com)
^{^} https://t.co/QwDLMfRBfs (t.co)
^{^} pic.twitter.com/hCAhyxJ79i (t.co)
^{^} November 1, 2023 (twitter.com)
^{^} https://t.co/ZWF9xlPKhs (t.co)
^{^} pic.twitter.com/zeLLBWZ1Lm (t.co)
^{^} November 1, 2023 (twitter.com)
^{^} #StormCiaran (twitter.com)
^{^} pic.twitter.com/u9OH6UAWa2 (t.co)
^{^} November 1, 2023 (twitter.com)
^{^} pic.twitter.com/CtTrVbIBNu (t.co)
^{^} November 1, 2023 (twitter.com)
^{^} #StormCiarán (twitter.com)
^{^} https://t.co/QwDLMfRBfs (t.co)
^{^} #WeatherAware (twitter.com)
^{^} pic.twitter.com/guKIm2zfLK (t.co)
^{^} October 31, 2023 (twitter.com)
^{^} pic.twitter.com/SE4Y2JJ66k (t.co)
^{^} October 31, 2023 (twitter.com)