Storm Gerrit latest: Come back tomorrow, rail passengers told
A train crashed into a fallen tree, causing “horrendous” damage to the driver’s cab and severe delays on the Dundee to Glasgow line.
It came as a combination of severe weather, signalling faults and overrunning engineering works sparked travel chaos across Britain on Wednesday.
Glasgow MSP Paul Sweeney shared photographs of the incident and wrote: “Horrendous tree impact damage to a ScotRail InterCity 125 locomotive today, en route from Dundee to Glasgow. Thankfully, the driver is unharmed.”
Meanwhile, Avanti West Coast customers were advised not to travel before Friday, and crowds of passengers were left stranded at London’s King’s Cross after a section of track between Newcastle and Edinburgh was blocked by flooding.
The Met Office issued several yellow weather warnings across parts of England, Scotland and Wales for strong winds, heavy rain and snow.
Network Rail Scotland warned that disruption would continue into tomorrow, as it will “need to inspect all currently shut routes for damage caused by flooding” which it said could only be done by daylight.
Paddington, which was due to reopen on Wednesday, will remain closed until Thursday owing to engineering works that have overrun, meaning no mainline trains are serving Heathrow Airport.
That’s all for today
Today’s headlines:
- Stranded rail passengers were told to come back tomorrow as Britain’s rail network ground to a halt, with crowded stations and cancelled services.
- A ScotRail train collided with a fallen tree, causing “horrendous” damage to the driver’s cab.
- The Met Office issued several yellow weather warnings across parts of England, Scotland and Wales for strong winds, heavy rain and snow and more than 100 flood alerts were issued.
- A section of track between Newcastle and Edinburgh was blocked by flooding, leaving customers stuck at London King’s Cross.
- A major incident was declared on Scotland’s A9 in the Highlands after drivers were left stranded in heavy snow.
- Power cuts affected some 27,000 homes in Scotland, with some properties facing being without power until Friday.
Scotland rail disruption to continue into tomorrow as shut lines need to be inspected, says Network Rail Scotland
Network Rail Scotland will “need to inspect all currently shut routes” for flood damage and fallen trees, the organisation has said, as it warned of further disruption.
A total of 14 of 36 routes run by ScotRail, one of several providers in the country, have been affected by Storm Gerrit, with one train colliding with a tree.
The regional branch of Network Rail said on Twitter: “Tomorrow, we’ll need to inspect all currently shut routes for damage caused by flooding/fallen trees – this’ll take several hours and can only be done in daylight.
“Disruption will continue until each line is confirmed safe to reopen.”
ScotRail train collides with fallen tree from storm and sustains ‘horrendous’ damage
A ScotRail train has collided with a fallen tree causing “horrendous” impact damage.
Glasgow MSP Paul Sweeney shared photographs purportedly showing a ScotRail InterCity 125 locomotive travelling from Dundee towards Glasgow with the front of the train partially destroyed.
Mr Sweeney wrote that the driver was unharmed in the crash.
Horrendous tree impact damage to a ScotRail InterCity 125 locomotive today, en route from Dundee to Glasgow. Thankfully, the driver is unharmed.
Whilst a British railway icon, the crashworthiness of the 125 does not meet modern standards. The driver’s cab is a fibreglass shell. pic.twitter.com/dwn3nmjAaZ[4]
— Paul Sweeney (@PaulJSweeney) December 27, 2023[5]
5:24PM
[6]
Passengers hit by cross-channel ferry cancellations over several days
Services between Portsmouth and the Channel Islands and from the Channel Islands to Saint Malo in France have been cancelled as a result of Storm Gerrit, Condor Ferries said.
High speed services today and tomorrow between the Channel Islands and Brittany’s St Malo have been axed, and those scheduled for Friday are “under weather review”, according to the operator.
All day trip journeys between the two ports have also been cancelled.
In a statement, Condor said: “The very latest forecasts indicate inclement weather conditions caused by Storm Gerrit with high seas and high wind speeds predicted in the St Malo and Channel Islands’ area.
“As a result our high speed services operated by Condor Voyager between St Malo And the Channel Islands on Wednesday 27th & Thursday 28th December have been cancelled.”
The operator apologised “for the inconvenience this may cause to your seasonal travel plans.”
The conventional ferry service operated by Condor Islander between Portsmouth and the Channel Islands did not run today or yesterday as a result of the adverse weather conditions.
Power cuts for over 27,000 homes in Scotland as some could be left without power until Friday, provider warns
Storm Gerrit has led to power cuts at some 27,000 properties, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution said, as it warned that some could face 48 hours without power.
SSEN said as of 4.30pm on Wednesday supplies had been restored to around 8,500 properties, with more than 18,500 still cut off.
Andy Smith, the company’s operations director, said: “We’ve been preparing for Storm Gerrit for several days and our teams, bolstered by additional line crews, have been out since first thing this morning in challenging conditions to restore power to our customers.
“Our teams are making good progress, reconnecting almost 8,500 homes, but ongoing adverse weather conditions and challenges with road access means it will take time to complete all repairs.
“Some customers in rural areas where there are multiple points of damage may be without power until Friday.
Scottish Premiership match cancelled after team unable to travel due to wintry conditions
A Scottish Premiership fixture between Rangers and Ross County has been postponed, after the Highlands side was unable to travel following the disruptions on the A9 from Storm Gerrit.
The road was closed in both directions by snow at Dalnaspidal, north of Blair Atholl, and between Dunkeld and Ballinluig due to flooding.
Six gritters were dispatched to a section of the road at Drumochter where drivers were trapped in heavy snow.
Ross County FC wrote on Twitter: “Following consultation with Police Scotland regarding today’s weather conditions on the A9, this evening’s match against Rangers has been postponed.”
Snowploughs working in tandem to try and keep the A9 open at Slochd as storm Gerrit hit the North of Scotland
Credit: Peter Jolly. Northpix/PETER JOLLY NORTHPIX
4:39PM
[9]
Winds speeds reach over 85mph as strong gusts recorded across the UK
Kincardineshire in northeast Scotland has seen 86mph gusts today, and Gwynedd in Wales recorded 83mph winds, according to the Met Office.
Other parts of the UK which have experienced very strong winds range from Orkney, Scotland, with 71 mph to the Isle of Wight, where the forecaster has recorded gusts of 69mph.
Take a look below at some of the maximum wind gusts that we have seen so far today 🌬️ pic.twitter.com/MgKto1sDbR[10]
— Met Office (@metoffice) December 27, 2023[11]
4:26PM
[12]
Flooded homes and power cuts in Scotland
Homes have been flooded in Scotland with some Fife residents rescued by boat.
Specialist boat teams were brought into Cupar from Perth and Stirling to help with the rescue operation.
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks has dispatched engineers to fix power outages in several area, it said.
Homes in Drumnadrochit, Fort Augustus in the Highlands and Taynuilt in Argyll were expected be without power until around 6pm.
Motorists in Scotland have been left stranded owing to Storm Gerrit
Highland Council declared a “major incident” after motorists were left stranded on miles of roads amid Storm Gerrit.
The A9 and other main routes in the north and east of the country are being hit with the wintry conditions.
Six gritters have been dispatched to the A9 at Drumochter where drivers were trapped in heavy snow.
Ian Stewart, representative for road operating company BEAR Scotland, told STV: “Our teams are working at pace across the country, whenever it was deemed safe, to clear the roads and keep Scotland moving.
“However, the Met Office Yellow warnings for wind, rain and snow remain in place and we request that people consider if they really need to travel today. If so, please check Traffic Scotland for the latest updates on your route and be prepared for disruption.”
Scotrail
Speed restrictions have been imposed on some routes meaning trains are running at reduced speed. As a result, trains may be cancelled, delayed by up to 60 minutes or revised. Services between Edinburgh and Dundee, Dundee and Aberdeen, Inverness and Wick Glasgow Central and Oban have been impacted. and ScotRail passengers can defer tickets until Friday.
Southeastern
Overrunning engineering works at Nunhead had caused delays to Southeastern services between London Blackfriars and Orpington, London Charing Cross and Ashford International / Hastings and between London Cannon Street and Orpington / Ramsgate / Dover Priory. The disruption has since ended.
LNER
Heavy rain brought by Storm Gerrit has affected LNER services across the country. Trains between Leeds and Harrogate have been cancelled or delayed up to 45 minutes because of flooding at Horsforth while flooding between Berwick-upon-Tweed and Edinburgh has disrupted services.
East Midlands Railway and Thameslink
A fault with the signalling system between St Albans and London St Pancras International means that some services may be cancelled or delayed by up to 60 minutes.
The fault is affecting East Midlands Railways trains between Wellingborough and London St Pancras and Thameslink routes between Bedford and Brighton, St Albans and London Blackfriars and between Luton and Rainham.
Cross Country
A shortage of train drivers meant reduced services between Nottingham and Cardiff Central while routes between Birmingham New Street and Cardiff Central as well as Edinburgh and Newcastle have also been affected.
Avanti West Coast
Passengers have been told not to travel north of Preston on Wednesday. Travellers with tickets for travel today (27 December) between Preston and Edinburgh/Glasgow can use those on either Thursday 28 or Friday 29 December. Destinations north of Preston include Lancaster, Oxenholme Lake District, Penrith, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
The Telegraph has compiled a list of rail operators impacted today
The Telegraph has compiled a list of train operators which have been hit wih delays and cancellations on Wednesday.
Services include Avanti West Coast, Cross Country, East Midlands Railway and Thameslink, LNER, Southeastern and Scotrail.
See the above posts for further details.
Scotland: Flooded train station owing to heavy rain
[embedded content]
3:21PM
[22]
Passenger complains of delays
Mark Davies, who had intended to travel from Kings Cross to York on Wednesday to visit family, said the delays were “frustrating” and “embarrassing”.
Mr Davies, 56, who was travelling from his home in south London with his 15-year-old son, Alec, said Kings Cross was “chaos” at 10.30am and his train was cancelled 10 minutes before its departure time.
He said the train he eventually managed to board was standing room only with passengers from four separate trains on board.
When Mr Davies reached Doncaster the service unexpectedly terminated.
He said: “It’s incredibly frustrating – everyone understands when the weather or other challenges get in the way, but so much of this chaos is avoidable.
“Cancelling trains with minutes to go, empty trains standing on platforms, customers treated like cattle. Our train was packed with people from the US, Japan and beyond, forced to stand in aisles and climb over each other.
“It’s embarrassing and shaming to see the neglect and under-investment in our public services and how that damages our reputation and causes such inconvenience for so many people.”
Passengers take to social media complaining of packed rail services
Passengers posted pictures on board crammed LNER trains. Caitlin Alice posted a video on Twitter showing passengers including young children standing in the aisle and dogs sitting under seats.
She tweeted: “@LNERthis is not acceptable I appreciate because of adverse weather that trains are exceptionally busy today however allowing more passengers onto what is already a crammed train is madness!I have an ignorant man practically sitting on my shoulder the whole journey. Not on!”
Gareth Wallace said he was sitting on the floor on a train to Kings Cross.
“Here we are sat on the floor of the @LNER to King’s Cross.Trains in front and behind have been axed due to floods, animals on the line, people on the line, unspecified reasons that are ‘being investigated’. Everyone is very train blitz spirit sharing & caring but it’s still awful”.
Motorists face disruption as roads close owing to storm Gerrit
On the roads, the Severn Bridge was closed in both directions due to strong winds. Drivers were urged to take an alternative route on the M4 across the Prince of Wales Bridge. However it was partly closed due to an accident.
Pictured: Storm Gerrit blights rail travel in Scotland
Storm Gerrit causes major disruption across Scotland with high winds and flooding, a train arrives into Saltcoats Station
Credit: JAMIE WILLIAMSON
2:33PM
[26]
National Rail: A list of services impacted today
[embedded content]
2:30PM
[27]
More than 100 flood alerts in place across England
There are currently more than 100 flood alerts in place across England. According to the Environment Agency there were 122 flood alerts, meaning flooding is possible, and seven flood warnings meaning flooding is expected.
Footage shows fallen trees and sundered pavement near Inverlochy, Scotland
[embedded content]
2:19PM
[29]
Three hour delays at Dover
Ferry passengers are suffering three hour delays at the Port of Dover because of staff sickness among French border officials, the Kent port said.
People arriving for cross-Channel sailings on Wednesday faced long delays to pass through French checks.
A spokeswoman for the port said: “The additional processing time today is a result of staff sickness within Police aux Frontieres.
“All teams are working hard to get everyone on their way as quickly as possible.
“We advise passengers to check with their chosen ferry operator for travel updates.”
Train operators face continued disruption
Train operators remain severely disrupted.
LNER has been starting trains to London from Newcastle as flooding blocks the line between Edinburgh. The company advised customers not to travel warning of significant delays, short-notice alterations and cancellations are expected. Customers were encouraged to apply for a refund or travel later in the week.
Avanti West Coast has told customers not to travel north of Preston due to continued rainfall and urged customers between Lancashire and Scotland to travel tomorrow or Friday. The company said tickets would not be accepted by other operators.
Trains run by East Midlands Railway and Thameslink to and from St Pancras remain disrupted due to a fault with the signalling system at St Albans. Engineering works were already taking place north of Wellingborough.
There was reduced service in place across the CrossCountry network due to a shortage of train drivers.
Speed restrictions were in place on some ScotRail routes with trains “cancelled, delayed by up to 60 minutes or revised”.
Passengers complain of disruption
Passengers have complained of there being no seats available on train services which have not been cancelled.
Adrian Bishop wrote to Cross Country trains on X, formerly Twitter: “Misery Christmas from Cross Country trains. There’s standing room only on the delayed half train to Manchester today after the full train before it was cancelled.”
Lauren Taylor wrote: “It’s absolute chaos at Edinburgh Waverly. Trains keep getting cancelled with no warning, huge queues at info points and no extra support staff to assist.”
Weather map
#StormGerrit[33] is bringing rain, some snow, and very strong winds to the UK, shown by the tight isobars on the charts.
This area of low pressure is set to stick with us until the early hours of Friday morning 🌀 pic.twitter.com/8NyeylVxm9[34]
— Met Office (@metoffice) December 27, 2023[35]
1:13PM
[36]
Passengers told not to travel north of Preston
Avanti West Coast passengers are being told not to travel north of Preston.
It said heavy rain owing to Storm Gerrit is expected for the rest of the day.
⚠️ Do not travel north of Preston today (27 December).
Continued heavy rainfall as a result of Storm Gerrit is expected for the remainder of the day.
Customers with tickets for travel between Preston and Edinburgh/Glasgow can use those for travel on either 28 or 29 December.
— Avanti West Coast (@AvantiWestCoast) December 27, 2023[37]
1:10PM
[38]
Orange wind warning issued in south west
A status orange wind warning has been issued for four counties in the south west as Storm Gerrit sweeps across the island of Ireland.
The warning covering Clare, Cork, Kerry and Galway will come into effect at 3pm and will be in place throughout Wednesday, lifting at midnight.
Met Eireann said the counties would see very strong westerly winds. With the storm coupled with spring tides, the forecaster said coastal flooding was likely.
A status yellow warning for wind and rain is in operation for the rest of the country until midnight on Wednesday.
Strong and gusty southwesterly winds are forecast.
Met Eireann said the strong winds combined with spring tides may lead to coastal flooding in places.
It said squally showers, with a chance of thunderstorms, could also see localised flooding elsewhere.
In Northern Ireland, a Met Office yellow wind and rain warning covering the entire region came into effect at 2am on Wednesday and lifted at 10am.
Passengers wait at London Waterloo
Post Christmas travel travellers with luggage wait for trains in a busy Waterloo Station.
Post Christmas travel travellers with luggage wait for trains in a busy Waterloo Station in central London
Credit: George Cracknell Wright
12:57PM
[40]
LNER passengers told not to travel
LNER passengers have been told not to travel with customers affected by the disruption told their tickets are valid until Dec 29. Unused tickets will be valid for a refund, it said.
⛔️ #LNERUpdate Due to severe weather customers are advised not to travel today Wednesday 27 December 2023 as services are likely to be subject to significant delays and short notice alterations or cancellations. pic.twitter.com/vrcjnFs0t8[41][42]
— London North Eastern Railway (@LNER) December 27, 2023[43]
12:51PM
[44]
Pictured: Crowds stranded at King’s Cross station
Large crowds of people have been left stranded at London King’s Cross station as a result of last minute train cancellations.
Kings Cross station packed full of passengers amid delays and cancellations
Credit: Harry Horton
12:10PM
[45]
Five flood warnings in place
Fve flood warnings are active in England, along with 100 lesser flood alerts according to the Environment Agency.
Eighteen British Airways flights cancelled
Eighteen domestic British Airways flights have been cancelled.
Air traffic control restrictions mean the BA flights due to operate to or from London’s Heathrow Airport were axed.
They were return domestic trips to Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Jersey and Manchester, and to Barcelona, Berlin, Madrid and Paris Charles de Gaulle in mainland Europe.
A British Airways spokesman said: “As a result of air traffic control restrictions put in place because of Storm Gerrit, we have had to make some adjustments to our schedule today.
“We have apologised to our customers for any disruption to their travel plans and our teams are working hard to get them on their way as quickly as possible.”
LNER cancels more services
London North Eastern Railway has cancelled more of its services due to the “severe weather”.
A York to London Kings Cross and and an Edinburgh to London Kings Cross will no longer be running.
⚠️#LNERUpdate[48] Due to severe weather, the following trains will be cancelled:
14:02 #York[49] to #LondonKingsCross[50] due 16:22 will be cancelled.16:30 #Edinburgh[51] to #LondonKingsCross[52] due 20:53 will be cancelled.
Travel information and advice: https://t.co/OmFNCx20Bz[53]
— London North Eastern Railway (@LNER) December 27, 2023[54]
11:51AM
[55]
Passengers take to social media after train services cancelled
Passengers impacted by delays and cancellations have taken to social media to air their grievances.
Mark Davies wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “Like gazillions of others we are taking the train to see loved ones at Christmas. Arrived at King’s Cross at 1030 for our 1106 train to York. All on time. Then cancelled 20 mins before departure as a shortage of train crew suddenly became apparent.”
Emily Louise wrote to Avanti West Coast on the platform: “my train has been cancelled and I needed to be on it to get to a wedding.”
Hayley Hodson said: “Our train has been cancelled due to flooding and no replacement bus service available, but the apps saying I can’t get a refund can you please help.”
Blackfriars reopen after blocking
London Blackfriars has reopened after a broken down train blocked all lines, Southeastern Railway has confirmed.
Engineers working to repair the train have had to switch off power at the station. Southeastern said it was working to return services to normal as quickly as possible.
✅ CLEARED: The lines are open at #LondonBlackfriars[57] and we are working to return services to normal as quickly as we can. Services may still be disrupted by the earlier engineering work not being finished on time.
— Southeastern (@Se_Railway) December 27, 2023[58]
11:12AM
[59]
Avanti West Coast Scotland routes blocked
All Avanti West Coast Scotland routes are blocked due to flooding between Carlisle and Lockerbie.
⚠️ Due to flooding between Carlisle and Lockerbie, all lines are blocked.
Delays are expected on our Scotland route and services will be subject to late starts.
Please check your journey before you travel 👇https://t.co/76ojK1XTQn[60]
— Avanti West Coast (@AvantiWestCoast) December 27, 2023[61]
11:10AM
[62]
Those impacted by Gerrit should contact insurers quickly
People and businesses affected by damage caused by Storm Gerrit should contact their insurer as soon as possible for help and advice, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) has said.
Wind warnings have been put in place across swathes of the UK and those making their way home after the Christmas break have been warned to watch out for potentially hazardous conditions as well as delays.
The ABI said that the priority for insurers will be to support customers affected by the storm to recover as quickly as possible.
ABI spokesperson Malcolm Tarling said: “Whenever and wherever bad weather strikes, insurers are ready to help their customers.
“Storm Gerrit could be a nasty, expensive and inconvenient experience for some, and the priority for insurers will be to help affected homeowners, businesses and drivers recover as soon as possible. If you suffer damage to your property, contact your insurer as soon as you can for help and advice.”
Fault on the line between St Pancras and Luton
There is a fault with the signalling system between London St Pancras and Luton, meaning passengers may miss their flights from Luton Airport.
The disruption is expected to last all day, according to Network Rail.
Edinburgh to Newcastle lines flooded
All lines are blocked between Edinburgh and Newcastle due to flooding, CrossCountry Trains has said.
NEW: Due to flooding between Edinburgh and Newcastle, all lines are blocked.
Please see: https://t.co/rZE9oy8Mdp[65] for more info
— CrossCountry Trains (@CrossCountryUK) December 27, 2023[66]
10:23AM
[67]
RNLI urged coastal visitors to exercise ‘extreme caution’
The RNLI urged those visiting the coast to exercise extreme caution, particularly along exposed cliffs, seafronts and piers.
Gareth Morrison, RNLI water safety partner, said: “The RNLI advises staying a safe distance away from the water and cliff edges as the conditions could knock you off your feet or wash you into the sea. It is not worth risking your life.”
Don’t underestimate dangers, warns RAC
The RAC has warned drivers not to underestimate the dangers of high winds.
Spokesperson Simon Williams said: “While high-sided vehicles are most at risk of being blown off course, car drivers can also be affected when they pass lorries on the motorway and are suddenly hit by the full force of the wind on the other side.
“Keeping both hands on the wheel at all times is the best advice, along with watching other vehicles very carefully so as not to get caught out by any unexpected changes in course.
“Getting to motorways and major roads may also be more difficult. Drivers should reduce their speeds and be on the look-out for fallen branches, and even trees, along with other debris.”
Weather map
⚠️ Yellow weather warning updated ⚠️
Wind across parts of Wales and NW England
Wednesday 1800 – Thursday 0300
Latest info 👉 https://t.co/QwDLMfRBfs[70]
Stay #WeatherAware⚠️ pic.twitter.com/pe1FihZxPF[71][72]
— Met Office (@metoffice) December 27, 2023[73]
10:16AM
[74]
Windy weather will cover ‘pretty much the whole of the UK’
Met Office meteorologist Simon Partridge has said wet and windy weather will cover “pretty much the whole of the UK”, with significant snowfall in parts of Scotland.
He said that people travelling home from Christmas should take particular care on their journeys owing to Storm Gerrit.
Mr Partridge said the Met Office chose to name the storm to warn the public.
He said: “Due to the extent of the warnings that are being issued, it was deemed that a named storm would be a good idea because it will highlight to the public the risk associated, particularly as today is likely to be quite a busy day on the roads with people travelling back home from Christmas and things like that.”
Air and ferry services also affected
Ferry and some air services are also facing disruption due to the storm today.
Ferry operator Red Funnel, which provides services between Southampton and Cowes on the Isle of Wight, warned customers to expect cancellations on its Red Jet passenger services due to strong winds.
Hovercraft services between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight are currently suspended.
All lines at Blackfriars blocked
All lines are blocked at London Blackfriars due to a broken down train, Southeastern Railway has confirmed.
Engineers working to repair the train have had to switch off power at the station.
Trains between Blackfriars and Orpington will start and finish their journey at Elephant and Castle.
⚠️NEW: The lines are blocked at #LondonBlackfriars[77] while engineers work to repair a broken down train and need the power switched off while they repair the train.
Trains between Blackfriars and Orpington will start and finish their journey at Elephant & Castle.
— Southeastern (@Se_Railway) December 27, 2023[78]
9:58AM
[79]
London North Eastern Railway driver shortage
LNER train service cancelled due to driver shortage.
⚠️#LNERUpdate[80] Due to a shortage of train crew10:00 #LondonKingsCross[81] to #Aberdeen[82] due 17:06 will be cancelled.
Customers for #Aberdeen[83] and stations north of #Edinburgh[84] will be provided with road transport. Please see station staff or information screens for further info.
— London North Eastern Railway (@LNER) December 27, 2023[85]
9:48AM
[86]
Wind warnings up to 70mph
Wind warning areas can expect gusts of 50-60mph, with up to 70mph on high ground and exposed coasts.
“In terms of rain, we have rain warnings out for the whole of Northern Ireland, western Wales, north-west England, and then there’s a combined sort of rain and snow warning for Scotland,” Met Office meteorologist Simon Partridge said.
Rain in the warning areas is forecast to be between 40-60mm, with the potential for 70-90mm in the western hills of Wales and the western side of the Pennines.
There is a chance of power cuts, as well as a small chance that homes and businesses could be flooded.
Anywhere above 200 metres in Scotland and the northern isles is likely to see some snow, he added.
Gerrit named to warn post-Christmas travellers, says Met Office
Met Office meteorologist Simon Partridge said Storm Gerrit was named as a warning to people travelling after the Christmas holidays.
He said: “Due to the extent of the warnings that are being issued, it was deemed that a named storm would be a good idea because it will highlight to the public the risk associated, particularly as today is likely to be quite a busy day on the roads with people travelling back home from Christmas and things like that.”
Mr Partridge said wet and windy weather will cover “pretty much the whole of the UK”, with significant snowfall in parts of Scotland.
A yellow rain and snow warning is in place until 9pm across much of Scotland on Wednesday.
Mr Partridge added: “There are wind warnings out for the south of England, across the English Channel coast.
“But we also have wind warnings in force for parts of western Wales, north-west England, Northern Ireland, northern Scotland and the northern isles.”
He said only the central section of the UK does not have a wind warning.
Gerrit follows Storm Pia
Last week, people travelling for Christmas were among those affected as Storm Pia lashed parts of the UK in the countdown to the festive season.
Winds of more than 80mph battered northern parts of the UK, with gusts of 81mph recorded at Brizlee Wood near Alnwick, Northumberland, and at Baltasound on Shetland, with 70mph gusts reported elsewhere in the North East of England.
Strong winds lead to road closures
The M48 Severn Bridge in Gloucestershire is currently closed in both directions due to strong winds, National Highways said.
Drivers are advised to use the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge as an alternate route.
Speed restrictions in place on rail services
Network Rail Scotland has imposed speed restrictions on Wednesday and travellers are being urged to check for cancellations.
ScotRail customer operations director Phil Campbell said: “We will be working closely with our colleagues at Network Rail Scotland to ensure we are able to keep people moving as much as possible, but customers should also expect that their journeys will take longer than usual, and there could be some cancellations.”
A tree fell on the line and caught fire near Dumbarton East Station in West Dunbartonshire, Network Rail Scotland said, closing the line in both directions.
Travellers warned of delays
Travellers have been warned of delays and hazardous conditions on their way home from the Christmas holidays, with the storm forecast to bring wintry weather for some.
Wind warnings are in place for the south of England and across the English Channel coast as well as parts of western Wales, north-west England, Northern Ireland, northern Scotland and the northern isles.
Some delays to road, rail, air and ferry transport are likely.
Ferry operator Red Funnel, which provides services between Southampton and Cowes on the Isle of Wight, warned customers to expect cancellations on its Red Jet passenger services due to strong winds.
Hovercraft services between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight are currently suspended.
Pictured: Storm Gerrit hits UK
Heavy snow showers and strong winds arrive in Hexham, Northumberland
Credit: Jordan Crosby
A bus creates a splash as it is driven through a large puddle following heavy rain in Greenwich, South East London
Credit: Storm Gerrit
9:30AM
[93]
Welcome to our live coverage
Hello, and welcome to our live coverage of Storm Gerrit.
We’ll be bringing you the latest travel updates as high winds, train driver shortages and overrunning engineering works cause disruption across the UK.
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- ^ 2:04PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 1:33PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ #StormGerrit (twitter.com)
- ^ pic.twitter.com/8NyeylVxm9 (t.co)
- ^ December 27, 2023 (twitter.com)
- ^ 1:13PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ December 27, 2023 (twitter.com)
- ^ 1:10PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 1:05PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 12:57PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ #LNERUpdate (twitter.com)
- ^ pic.twitter.com/vrcjnFs0t8 (t.co)
- ^ December 27, 2023 (twitter.com)
- ^ 12:51PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 12:10PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 12:06PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 12:00PM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ #LNERUpdate (twitter.com)
- ^ #York (twitter.com)
- ^ #LondonKingsCross (twitter.com)
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- ^ https://t.co/OmFNCx20Bz (t.co)
- ^ December 27, 2023 (twitter.com)
- ^ 11:51AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 11:15AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ #LondonBlackfriars (twitter.com)
- ^ December 27, 2023 (twitter.com)
- ^ 11:12AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ https://t.co/76ojK1XTQn (t.co)
- ^ December 27, 2023 (twitter.com)
- ^ 11:10AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 10:46AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 10:36AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ https://t.co/rZE9oy8Mdp (t.co)
- ^ December 27, 2023 (twitter.com)
- ^ 10:23AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 10:21AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 10:16AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ https://t.co/QwDLMfRBfs (t.co)
- ^ #WeatherAware (twitter.com)
- ^ pic.twitter.com/pe1FihZxPF (t.co)
- ^ December 27, 2023 (twitter.com)
- ^ 10:16AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 10:12AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 10:09AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ #LondonBlackfriars (twitter.com)
- ^ December 27, 2023 (twitter.com)
- ^ 9:58AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ #LNERUpdate (twitter.com)
- ^ #LondonKingsCross (twitter.com)
- ^ #Aberdeen (twitter.com)
- ^ #Aberdeen (twitter.com)
- ^ #Edinburgh (twitter.com)
- ^ December 27, 2023 (twitter.com)
- ^ 9:48AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 9:47AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 9:46AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 9:45AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 9:45AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 9:44AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 9:44AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ 9:30AM (www.telegraph.co.uk)