Prepare for SNOW on Friday! Met Office upgrades its 'danger to life' amber warning to cover all of England with blizzards and winds of up to 100mph expected – and most Scottish train services cancelled from midday TODAY because of Storm Dudley
The Met Office has upgraded its 'danger to life' amber warning to cover the whole of England on Friday when Storm Eunice is expected to slam the country with blizzards and 100mph gales.
Rail services across Scotland have been cancelled from midday today in preparation for gusts of up to 90mph when Storm Dudley - the first of two storms to hit the UK this week - blows in from the Atlantic this afternoon. Forecasters issued a 'danger to life' warning from flying debris and motorists are being urged to reconsider their journeys as extreme weather is expected in the north of England and Scotland. By Wednesday morning, gusts of 66mph were recorded at Emley Moor, West Yorkshire, and 63mph at Orlock Head near Bangor, Northern Ireland.
The intense winds could cause coastal flooding in the early hours of Friday morning, according to Katharine Smith, Environment Agency Flood Duty Manager.
The Scottish Deputy First Minister warned the coming days will be 'very challenging' as a result of the two storms, while ScotRail confirmed the last train from Glasgow to Inverness is scheduled for 12.09pm, with the final Aberdeen-Edinburgh departure at 1.13pm today.
Wednesday's amber warning is expected to last from 2pm to midnight, with yellow warnings for wind as far south as Birmingham. Heavy showers are expected throughout the afternoon, with snow on high ground in the North.
In the southern half of the UK, mild temperatures of up to 14C or 15C were forecast for Wednesday.
The first storm will be followed by a second, Storm Eunice, which is set to wreak havoc across the country from Friday with gusts of up to 100mph in south west England. An amber weather warning for Storm Dudley covers northern England and Scotland between 6pm today and 9am on Thursday - when 'very strong and disruptive winds' are due.
An amber warning for wind has been issued for all of England and Wales on Friday as the country braces itself for the strong gusts. Meanwhile, Scotland has a yellow weather warning for wind and snow in place.
Heavy rain and 'significant snowfall' will hit the Midlands and north Wales – with two inches of snow and 'blizzards' expected in Scotland.
A Met office warning reads: 'Snow, heavy in places, is likely to develop on the northern side of Storm Eunice as it moves across the UK on Friday.'
In higher regions snow is expected to reach up to 11 inches with strong winds leading to poor visibility, blizzard conditions and snow drifts.
A dog walker is spotted on Whitley bay beach as big waves hit the shoreline and the nation prepares for Storm Dudley and Storm Eunice
Two women shelter under Union Jack umbrellas in Westminster during a rain shower in the capital on TuesdayThe Met office warned flying debris could 'result in a danger to life, with fallen trees, damage to buildings and homes, roofs blown off and power lines brought down'.
Katharine Smith, Environment Agency Flood Duty Manager, said: 'Strong winds could bring coastal flooding to parts of the west, southwest and south coast of England, as well as the tidal River Severn, in the early hours of Friday morning. This is due to Storm Eunice resulting in high waves and potential storm surge coinciding with the start of a period of spring tides.
'Please remember to take extreme care on coastal paths and promenades. We urge people to stay safe on the coast and warn wave watchers against the unnecessary danger of taking 'storm selfies'. Flooding of low-lying coastal roads is also possible and people should avoid driving through flood water as just 30cm of flowing water is enough to move your car.'
Met Office spokeswoman Nicola Maxey said: 'We are looking at particularly stormy period right now, with two named storms coming through one after the other.
'This sort of weather set-up is typical for the UK in the winter, with low pressure coming in from the west, driven by the jet stream.'
She said the forecast after Storm Eunice continued to look unsettled with the potential for more wet and windy conditions over the weekend and the start of next week.
Met Office Chief Meteorologist Frank Saunders said: 'An active jet stream is helping to drive low-pressure systems across the country, with both storms set to cause some disruption and National Severe Weather Warnings have been issued.
'Significant disruption is possible from both Storm Dudley and Storm Eunice with strong winds one of the main themes of the current forecast. The most impactful winds from Dudley will be in the north on Wednesday afternoon, as shown in the amber warning area.
'Storm Eunice is expected to track eastwards from early on Friday, bringing the most significant winds to the central and southern areas of the UK, with some gusts possible in excess of 95mph in exposed coastal areas.'
ScotRail said its services on the Far North, Kyle of Lochalsh, and Aberdeen-Inverness lines would continue to run on Wednesday afternoon, and some cross-border services will still operate but at reduced speeds.
Liam Sumpter, Network Rail route director for Scotland, said the storm had the potential to cause 'significant disruption' to infrastructure. He said it could blow trees onto tracks and damage equipment.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney said the weather could cause disruption to travel and power supplies as well as danger from falling trees.
'We expect another period of disruption this week, with Storms Dudley and Eunice set to bring strong winds to Scotland,' he said.
'High winds may cause issues on roads and bridges, disruption to power supplies and danger from falling trees. We would urge everyone to plan their journeys in advance, exercise caution on the roads, and follow the latest travel advice.'
Following a meeting of the Scottish Government's Resilience Room, the Deputy First Minister said they would continue to monitor the situation as the storms approach.
On Twitter, Mr Swinney added: 'Resilience meeting @scotgov just completed. The next few days will be very challenging with £StormDudley.
'Please see @ScotRail plans and follow advice there is a high risk of disruption to travel. Please #StaySafe.'
ScotRail previously announced services in areas threatened by severe weather would end at 4pm on Wednesday for safety reasons.
'Scotland is bracing itself for Storm Dudley tomorrow,' the rail operator said on Twitter.
'The welfare of our customers and staff is most important, so for safety reasons most ScotRail train services will shut down from 1600 on Wednesday.'
There have been four named storms so far this season, with the most recent being storms Malik and Corrie at the end of January.
Gusts from Malik reached 82mph in Northumberland and 72mph in the Derbyshire Peak District.
Meanwhile, during Storm Corrie, 92mph gusts were recorded at Stornoway, in the Outer Hebrides.
During the storms, between January 29 and 31, two people were killed by falling trees in Staffordshire and Aberdeen, while tens of thousands of homes were left without power.
In 2020, Storm Ciara brought gusts of up to 70mph to the west coast of Scotland.
And in 2019 Storm Atiyah brought 70mph winds across the country along with power cuts and transport delays.
Storm Dudley is set to be accompanied by heavy rain at times as it crosses the country today and into Thursday
This came just months after Storm Hannah brought gusts of up 69mph in west Wales.
Issuing a warning to motorists yesterday, National Highways head of road safety Jeremy Phillips said: 'We're encouraging drivers to check the latest weather and travel conditions before setting off on journeys and consider if their journey is necessary and can be delayed until conditions improve.
'If you do intend to travel, then plan your journey and take extra care, allowing more time for your journey.
'In high winds, there's a particular risk to lorries, caravans and motorbikes so we'd advise drivers of these vehicles to slow down.
'Drivers of other vehicles should be aware of sudden gusts of wind which can affect handling and braking, and give high-sided vehicles, caravans, and motorbikes plenty of space.
'In the event of persistent high winds we may need to close bridges to traffic for a period, so please be alert for warnings of closures and follow signed diversion routes.'
Met Office chief meteorologist Paul Gundersen said: 'An active jet stream is driving low-pressure systems across the country, both of which are likely to cause some disruption and national severe weather warnings have been issued.'
Storm Dudley is set to be accompanied by heavy rain at times as it crosses the country today and into Thursday.
The strongest winds, of 80mph to 90mph, are expected on 'exposed coasts and hills', with gusts of 60mph to 70mph elsewhere.
Rail services across Scotland have been cancelled from midday today in preparation for gusts of up to 90mph when Storm Dudley blows in from the Atlantic this afternoon
An amber weather warning for Storm Dudley covers northern England and Scotland between 6pm today (left) and 9am on Thursday. A yellow weather warning covers England and parts of Scotland on Thursday (centre) and a yellow weather warning has been issued for all of England on Friday (right)
Water pours over the Derwent Dam in the Peak District ahead of the arrival of storms Dudley and Eunice this week
A woman battles with her umbrella on Westminster Bridge in London during high winds and rain in the capital yesterdayAt the weekend, Energy distributor Northern Powergrid apologised to dozens of customers who were issued them with compensation cheques for £2.3trillion by mistake, after delays to reconnect their power supplies in the wake of November's Storm Arwen.
The RNLI warned adverse weather conditions could make seas 'treacherous', urging people to take extra care in coastal areas.
'The expected storms could make our seas treacherous, increasing the risk for those visiting the coast around the UK and Ireland,' RNLI national water safety partner, Samantha Hughes, said.
'In a normal year, around 150 people lose their lives at the coast and we know that more than half of those never intended to be in the water.
'So, whether you are walking, running or cycling at the coast, please be extra responsible and avoid taking unnecessary risk or entering the water.
'In particular, we ask people to stay well back from stormy, wintery seas and cliff edges, check tide times before you go, take a phone with you, and call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard if you or someone else is in trouble.'
Meanwhile, the Woodland Trust Scotland urged people to stay away from wooded areas during the high winds.
'Please do not enter woodland when winds are high and be cautious when entering woodland after a storm,' said spokesman, George Anderson.He added: 'Even fully toppled trees are best avoided when newly felled as they are often not completely settled and still have the potential to move or tip.
'We know a felled tree can be fascinating, especially to children, but it is not safe to clamber about on or under them.
'Woodland Trust Scotland manages 60 sites across the country and, in the aftermath of any storm, public safety is our first concern.
'Where paths are blocked, we will have them cleared as quickly as possible but, in the meantime, we call on the public to heed all path diversions and safety notices on sites.'
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