Storm Ashley has battered parts of the country with hurricane-force winds and torrential rain as more flights and trains are cancelled.
As the storm passed over the Scottish Highlands on Sunday night, average wind speeds hit 85mph with gusts of at least 111mph provisionally recorded at the summit of Cairn Gorm.
Speed restrictions are in place on rail lines across Scotland due to the high winds, while flights continued to be impacted at Aberdeen Airport this morning. At least four have been cancelled, including one bound for London Heathrow Airport.
In England, National Rail said Northern services between Bolton and Blackburn were being blocked by a tree on the line this morning.
The Environment Agency had 45 flood warnings, where flooding is expected, in place across England on Monday, including along the south Cornwall coast and large parts of the River Severn, after the river burst its banks, submerging the town of Worcester, the previous day.
A further 96 places were kept on high alert overnight with possible flooding – while, in Scotland, the Scottish Environment Flood Agency had 47 flood warnings in place, with eight issued by Natural Resources Wales.
Key Points
- More than 100 flood alerts remain in place across UK
- Hurricane-force winds and gusts of up to 111mph winds pummel Scotland
- Thousands without power in Northern Ireland
- Dozens of flights cancelled in Belfast and Dublin
Flood warnings end across UK
10:58
Tom Watling
Dozens of flood warnings announced by the Met Office after Storm Ashley hit the UK have now ended.
The Met Office has removed all its weather warnings for today.
Storm Ashley brings rail, road and air chaos as UK on high alert over flood warnings
10:29
Tom Watling
Watch: Planes landing at Heathrow Airport face wrath of Storm Ashley’s 80mph winds
10:01
Tom Watling
In pictures: People struggle with the winds of Storm Ashley
09:31
Tom Watling
Storm Ashley mapped: Where and when are ‘danger to life’ weather warnings in force across UK?
08:59
Tom Watling
Scottish ferries disrupted by Storm Ashley
08:33
Tom Watling
Ferry passengers in western and northern Scotland are facing a second day of disruption due to the impact of Storm Ashley and issues with the overstretched fleet of ships.
Caledonian MacBrayne has cancelled all ferries between Oban, Barra and South Uist today, as well as from Mallaig to Armadale on the island of Skye.
Between Bute and the mainland, ferries that normally serve Wemyss Bay are being diverted to Gourock instead.
Storm damage at Uig on the isle of Skye means ferries to and from Tarbert on the isle of Harris and Lochmaddy on North Uist may instead divert to Ullapool.
Northlink Ferries connecting Orkney and Shetland with mainland Scotland are being delayed, with the Stromness to Scrabster link operating around five hours behind schedule. The afternoon’s sailing from Lerwick to Kirkwall and Aberdeen has been brought forward by an hour “due to the adverse weather”.
Met Office’s upcoming UK weather forecast
08:02
Tara Cobham
The Met Office said winds will ease slightly as Storm Ashley moves north-east on Monday, with a mix of scattered showers and sunny spells expected in its wake.
More frequent rain may be expected in the south-east.
The weather is likely to turn “unsettled” later in the week, bringing possible heavy rain and strong winds once more.
More than 100 flood alerts remain in place across UK
07:45
Tara Cobham
More than 100 flood warnings remained in place across the UK on Monday after Storm Ashley made its presence felt.
A yellow weather alert for wind, issued by the Met Office, was in place until 9am on Monday morning across the north and east of Scotland and northeast.
The notice warned travellers to brace for potential power cuts and longer journey times.
The first named storm of the season also forced the postponement of several sporting fixtures.
The Environment Agency had 45 flood warnings, where flooding is expected, in place across England, including along the south Cornwall coast and large parts of the River Severn.
A further 96 places were kept on high alert overnight with possible flooding.
In Scotland, the Scottish Environment Flood Agency had 47 flood warnings in place with eight issued by Natural Resources Wales.
Several roads in the north of England, including the A66 between County Durham and the M6 at Cumbria were reopened early Monday morning after being closed due to strong winds
Tens of thousands of homes remained without power on Sunday night after Storm Ashley swept across the island of Ireland.
Dublin and the Irish west coast also experienced significant outages on Sunday night.
The number without power had been 53,000 earlier in the day.
Full report: Tens of thousands remain without power after Storm Ashley hits island of Ireland
07:00
Andy Gregory
Tens of thousands of homes remained without power on Sunday night after Storm Ashley swept across the island of Ireland.
In the Republic of Ireland, ESB Networks said 29,000 customers were without power as of 8.30pm on Sunday. The west coast was worst affected although north Dublin also experienced significant outages.
The number without power had been 53,000 earlier in the day.
In Northern Ireland, NIE Networks said that at 9.45pm fewer than 1,500 customers remained without power, with the majority of those set to be connected later on Sunday night. It said power had already been restored to more than 10,000 customers who lost supply earlier in the day.
Scottish islands cut off due to Storm Ashley
06:00
Andy Gregory
Ferry operator CalMac – which serves the west coast of Scotland – cancelled the majority of sailings for the day on Sunday, with the islands of Arran, Bute, Lewis and Harris being cut off as a result of adverse conditions at sea caused by the high winds.
Watch: Planes struggle to land at Heathrow as Storm Ashley hits
05:00
Andy Gregory
Scenes likened to ‘power washer’ as torrential rains pummel Ireland
04:00
Andy Gregory
Footage reportedly taken in Belmullet in Ireland’s County Mayo show torrential rain likened to a power washer.
Belmullet, Mayo getting absolutely hammered by severe winds and heavy rainfall today as Storm Ashley hit.
— Donegal Weather Channel (@DonegalWeatherC) October 20, 2024
It's like someone is outside with a power washer crazy.
Video by @TheGlutton#stormAshley #ireland #weather #mayo #wind pic.twitter.com/mm1sa4htyY
Nearly 50 flood warnings and 10 alerts in place in Scotland
03:00
Andy Gregory
Flooding is expected in 47 locations in Scotland, the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency has warned, with a further 10 lesser flood alerts in place in locations where flooding is possible.
Nearly 20 of the flood warnings are in the Western Isles, while eight are in Orkney and 14 are in Dumfries and Galloway, as Storm Ashley continues to bring powerful winds and rain.
Pictured: Flood defences in place along River Severn
01:58
Andy Gregory
Stormy tides shown in footage of Irish ferry
Monday 21 October 2024 00:58
Andy Gregory
Irish Ferries and Stena Line passing by Poolbeg Lighthouse at high tide. #StormAshley pic.twitter.com/dW3XrK1rld
— Sryan Bruen (@SnowbieWx) October 20, 2024
Eight flood warnings and 12 alerts in Wales
Monday 21 October 2024 00:18
Andy Gregory
Natural Resources Wales has warned that flooding is expected in eight areas of the country, with lesser alerts issued – meaning flooding is possible – in a further 12 locations.
In Scotland, 47 flood warnings and a further 10 alerts have been issued, while England’s Environment Agency has issued 45 flood warnings and 96 alerts.
That brings the total across the three countries to 100 flood warnings and a further 118 alerts.
Hurricane-force winds and gusts of 111mph in Scottish Highlands
Monday 21 October 2024 00:17
Andy Gregory
Hurricane-force winds have been recorded in the Scottish Highlands, with gusts of up to 111mph at the summit of Cairn Gorm and 109mph at the peak of Aonach Mor, according to the Met Office.
Average wind speeds hit a hurricane-force 85mph at the observation station at Bealach Na Ba, near Applecross, and 81mph at Cairn Gorm.
Fire sparked after Storm Ashley brings down electrical cables
Sunday 20 October 2024 23:59
Andy Gregory
Cork City Fire Brigade have shared footage of a fire sparked during Storm Ashley, as powerful winds brought down trees and electrical cables.
Our crews responded to several minor #StormAshley incidents including downed electrical cables and a tree down near the Mardyke. pic.twitter.com/X7rGM8u7mY
— Cork City Fire Brigade (@CorkCityFire) October 20, 2024
Giant moon replica installed on water in Somerset town deflates in ‘extreme weather’
Sunday 20 October 2024 23:29
Andy Gregory
A giant replica of the moon installed on a historic waterway in a Somerset town has deflated in the “extreme” winds brought by Storm Ashley.
The ‘Fallen Moon’ installation by Bristol-based artist Luke Jerram had “captivated” visitors and drawn more than 10,000 visitors to Bridgwater Docks since being unveiled on Tuesday, Bridgwater Town Council said.
But having “clearly brought joy and astonishment to so many” in the days since opening, the council lamented on Sunday that the installation may have been brought to an untimely end.
You can read more in this report:
Car pictured carried away by high tides in Northern Ireland
Sunday 20 October 2024 23:01
Andy Gregory
A car appears to have been picked up by high tides on the coast in County Down.
@CarlowWeather someone who didn't listen to the warnings. This is Strangford lough Co Down. Wasn't even at high tide yet either. pic.twitter.com/CvYFQvyjLs
— Paddy R (@paddyr650) October 20, 2024
Report of tree falling on overhead train line near Port Glasgow
Sunday 20 October 2024 22:30
Andy Gregory
Network Rail Scotland has responded to multiple instances of debris blown onto overhead railway lines in western Scotland.
Its engineers were called to reports of a tree on the overhead wires between Bishopton and Port Glasgow, after earlier working to remove debris on the overhead wires at Troon on the Glasgow Central to Ayr line.
Waves breach sea wall and douse overhead train lines in North Ayrshire
Sunday 20 October 2024 21:59
Andy Gregory
Network Rail Scotland has shared footage of large waves breaching the sea wall and dousing the overhead wires at Saltcoats in North Ayrshire earlier today.
️ Footage from our team at Saltcoats. You can see the waves and debris coming over the sea wall, meaning it's not safe to run trains until conditions improve.
— Network Rail Scotland (@NetworkRailSCOT) October 20, 2024
Glasgow Central - Largs/Ardrossan services will terminate and start back from Kilwinning. #StormAshley @ScotRail https://t.co/CBslyz3z5F pic.twitter.com/AwbVH4yMFU
Wind gusts exceed 100mph in Scottish Highlands
Sunday 20 October 2024 21:30
Andy Gregory
Wind gusts exceeding 100mph have been reported in the Scottish Highlands.
102mph gusts were recorded at the Cairn Gorm summit, which saw hurricane-force wind speeds of 84mph on Sunday morning.
The Bealach Na Ba observation station near Applecross saw gusts of 96mph.
Gusts of 99mph were forecast to hit the station at the summit of Aonach Mor, just two miles from Ben Nevis.
Thousands without power in Northern Ireland.
Sunday 20 October 2024 21:00
Andy Gregory
In Northern Ireland, NIE Networks said that at 5.30pm approximately 4,000 customers were without power in outages that hit as Storm Ashley batters the region.
Power had been restored to around 2,000 customers who had lost supply, NIE Networks said.
In the Republic of Ireland, ESB Networks said 53,000 customers were without power shortly after 5pm on Sunday. Mayo, Galway, Sligo, Clare, Cork, Kerry and Dublin were the worst affected counties.
RNLI issues warning over Blackpool Promenade
Sunday 20 October 2024 20:29
Andy Gregory
The RNLI has warned people to “stay safe and stay away” from Blackpool Promenade.
A statement on the lifeboat charity’s Facebook read: “The Met Office currently have the North West under a weather warning, and this especially includes the Blackpool and Fylde Coast with winds in excess of 60 miles per hour later in the day.
“The specific concern for the Blackpool coast is the high spring tides at 1.28pm today and 1.50am Monday morning, and potential flood risk to the Promenade area.
“The marine forecast for the Irish Sea for this time is for a mainly southwest wind, force 7 to severe gale 9, increasing storm 10 for a time, decreasing 5 to 7 later.
“Blackpool RNLI is making preparations at the Lifeboat Station to secure equipment and the boat house, and the volunteer crews urge everyone tostay off the Promenade around these tide times, especially the sea wall areas for your own safety.”
Full report: Storm Ashley brings rail, road and air chaos as UK on high alert over flood warnings
Sunday 20 October 2024 20:02
Jabed Ahmed
Wind speeds hit 81mph, Met Office says
Sunday 20 October 2024 19:29
Andy Gregory
The Met Office has published a list of the highest wind speeds recorded so far today, including gusts of 81mph in Killowen, Northern Ireland, and 75mph at the Welsh village of Capel Cruig.
The winds from #StormAshley are starting to increase, with the strongest gusts expected over the next few hours
— Met Office (@metoffice) October 20, 2024
Here are the highest gusts so far... pic.twitter.com/YluQr5Lywv
Mapped: Where and when are ‘danger to life’ weather warnings in force across UK?
Sunday 20 October 2024 19:01
Jabed Ahmed
Pictured: Galway prepares for Storm Ashley
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:26
Jabed Ahmed
Watch: Planes landing at Heathrow Airport face wrath of Storm Ashley’s 80mph winds
Sunday 20 October 2024 18:01
Jabed Ahmed
Network Rail advises people to tie down garden furniture
Sunday 20 October 2024 17:26
Jabed Ahmed
️ ⚠️ Storm Ashley is bringing strong winds and heavy rain.
— Network Rail (@networkrail) October 20, 2024
Please tie down trampolines and garden furniture if you live near the railway - strong winds can blow these objects onto the tracks. ️ #WeatherAware #StormAshley pic.twitter.com/2j9mbPg2iB
Dozens of flight cancelled in Belfast and Dublin
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:46
Jabed Ahmed
Dozens of flights have been cancelled at Belfast City Airport and Dublin Airport due to Storm Ashley.
In a stamtent on X, Dublin Airport said: “Weather conditions have led to some airlines cancelling a small number of flights this morning. As always, passengers seeking updates regarding a specific flight should contact their airline directly.”
Northern Ireland’s Department for Infrastructure said temporary tidal flood defences were being deployed along the River Lagan at high-risk areas such as Lockview Road and Cutters Warf in south Belfast.
SEPA issues updated statement after 36 flood alerts in Scotland
Sunday 20 October 2024 16:01
Jabed Ahmed
Catherine Evans, SEPA’s Flood Duty Manager, said: “Scotland will experience the impacts from Storm Ashley this evening and into tomorrow morning. Coastal flooding will impact communities along the west coast and the islands, due to already high water levels combined with strong winds and large waves.
“While the risk is most significant around high tide times, our message continues to be: take extra care if you are near the coast at any point and stay clear of waves and water. Be careful when travelling around exposed coastal areas. Don’t walk or drive through flood water as there may be hidden hazards.
“Flood Alerts and Warnings are in place. We will continue to work with the Met Office to monitor the situation 24/7 and review regional Flood Alerts and local Flood Warnings as required, so please do stay up to date through our website at beta.sepa.scot/flooding.
“We advise people to sign up to Floodline 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 view the three-day Scottish Flood Forecast to see what conditions are expected further ahead.”
Glasgow bridge closed amid Storm Ashley chaos
Sunday 20 October 2024 15:01
Jabed Ahmed
The Govan-Partick footbridge in Glasgow will remain shut today due to strong forecasted winds.
The Riverside Museum warned visitors of the closure in a post on Facebook.
The statement reads: “If you are coming by Subway today, alight at Partick station. The Govan-Partick Bridge is closed all day due to high winds.”
Sunday 20 October 2024 14:01
Jabed Ahmed
The Enchanted Forest in Pitlochry, Perthshire – an autumnal attraction aimed at families where the forest is turned into a light show – announced it would be cancelled on Sunday, stressing the safety of attendees and staff was “of the utmost importance”.
A statement from organisers read: “Our operations team met on site this morning to assess the site conditions in light of Storm Ashley and various weather warnings and, in the interest of public safety, they have affirmed that it is not safe for the show to go ahead this evening.”
Mapped: Storm Ashley weather warnings
Sunday 20 October 2024 13:28
Jabed Ahmed
ICYMI: Great South Run cancelled
Sunday 20 October 2024 12:58
Jabed Ahmed
Sunday’s Great South Run has been cancelled because of high winds and rain expected from the storm.
Great Run, which organises the annual 10-mile race in Portsmouth, Hampshire, said weather conditions had not improved to a point where they could “safely stage” the event.
Organisers said the forecasted winds could compromise “event infrastructure, including our medical facilities” and that high tide levels, exposure along the seafront sections of the route and “potential debris” posed safety concerns.
What is a ‘weather bomb’?
Sunday 20 October 2024 12:24
Jabed Ahmed
Meteorologists have said Storm Ashley will see a rapid drop of pressure as it moves in from the Atlantic on Saturday night – a phenomenon called a “weather bomb”.
A ‘weather bomb’ is an unofficial term for a low pressure system whose central pressure falls 24 millibars in 24 hours in a process known as explosive cyclogenesis, according to the Met Office.
Rapid acceleration of air caused by the jet stream high up in the atmosphere can remove air from the column, reducing its weight so causing pressure to fall at sea level.
This in turn sucks in air which converges from surrounding regions resulting in faster and faster rotation of the circulation.
That will result in high winds, which coincide with high spring tides - bringing a risk of large waves and coastal overtopping.
How is a storm named?
Sunday 20 October 2024 11:57
Jabed Ahmed
Storm Ashley was named on 18 October as the first storm of the season.
A storm will be named when it has the potential to cause disruption or damage which could result in an amber or red warning.
When the criteria for naming a storm are met, either the Met Office, Met Éireann or KNMI can name a storm, taking the name from the latest list in alphabetical order.
The next five storms will be:
- Bert
- Conall
- Darragh
- Éowyn
- Floris
ScotRail issue travel advice
Sunday 20 October 2024 11:26
Jabed Ahmed
Rail operator ScotRail also issued advice ahead of expected disruption on Sunday, urging those travelling to check their services are still running.
Scott Prentice, the strategy and planning director at the operator said: “In order to keep our customers and staff safe, speed restrictions will be in place as a precautionary measure on some routes in Scotland, which will mean longer journey times.
“Customers should check their journey before setting off, and keep an eye on our website, app or social media feeds for live updates.”
Flood warnings in place across Cumbria
Sunday 20 October 2024 11:11
Jabed Ahmed
The Environment Agency has issued five flood warnings in Cumbria, advising residents to “act now”.
Highest tide level is expected around 1:45pm to 2pm and flooding is possible throughout the day, the agency said.
Areas most at risk include Roa Island, West Shore Park, Biggar, Biggar Bank, Ocean Road, Carr Lane, Vickerstown Promenade, Rampside areas, Cavendish Dock and Ramsden Dock areas.
What advice has the Met Office given?
Sunday 20 October 2024 10:56
Jabed Ahmed
As it warns of powerful winds reaching up to 80mph, the Met Office has advised people in affected areas to check and plan how to secure loose items outside their properties.
Forecasters also suggested preparing for potential power cuts by considering gathering torches and batteries, and urged people to keep up to date with the latest forecast.
Ryanair warns of flight disruptions due to severe weather conditions
Sunday 20 October 2024 10:28
Jabed Ahmed
Ryanair has warned passengers of the flight disruptions due to weather conditions brought about by Storm Ashley.
In a statement on their website, the Irish airline said: “Affected passengers will be notified and any passengers travelling to/from Ireland on Sun 20 Oct should check their Ryanair app for the latest updates on their flight.
“We regret any inconvenience caused to passengers by these weather conditions, which are outside of Ryanair’s control and affect all airlines operating to/from Ireland Sun 20 Oct.
“Please be advised that due to Storm Ashley, we are monitoring potential delays to flights from/to the United Kingdom.”
Travellers have also been cautioned to check weather conditions and alerts before travel.
Full report: Weather warnings in place as Storm Ashley hits
Sunday 20 October 2024 09:59
Jabed Ahmed
Watch: Storm Ashley set to batter UK with 80mph winds
Sunday 20 October 2024 09:42
Jabed Ahmed
Police Scotland issue warning to motorists
Sunday 20 October 2024 09:26
Jabed Ahmed
Police Scotland have advised motorists to “plan ahead and avoid unnecessary travel where possible” ahead of the “strong likelihood” of disruption on roads.
Chief Superintendent Hilary Sloan, Police Scotland’s head of road policing, said: “Make sure your vehicle has sufficient fuel and is completely roadworthy, with tyre pressure and tread meeting legal requirements.
“Ensure your mobile phone is fully charged in the event you need to call for assistance and if it is likely you may be within your vehicle for long periods of time, take additional clothing and water with you.”
Four flood warnings and six flood alerts removed on Sunday morning
Sunday 20 October 2024 09:04
Alex Croft
The Environment Agency has removed six flood warnings and four flood alerts on Sunday morning.
A flood warning means flooding is epected while a flood alert means it is possible. There are now 37 flood warnings and 135 flood alerts remaining.
The flood warnings removed are:
- North Bank of the Humber estuary in the east of Hull
- North Sea coast at Easington and Kilnsea
- North Sea coast at Hornsea
The flood alerts removed are:
- Humber estuary from Hessle Haven to Faxfleet
- Humber estuary from Lords Clough to Hessle Haven
- Humber estuary from Spurn Point to Winestead Outfall
- North Sea coast at Skipsea, Hornsea and Mappleton
- North Sea coast at Withernsea, Easington and Kilnsea
- North Sea coast from Staithes to Whitby including tidal River Esk
- River Teme at Stanford Bridge (flood warning removed but flood alert remains in wider area)
Storm Ashley mapped: Where and when are ‘danger to life’ weather warnings in force across UK?
Sunday 20 October 2024 08:44
Alex Croft
The Met Office has issued “danger to life” weather warnings as parts of the UK brace for Storm Ashley to bring rain and winds of up to 80mph this weekend.
The first named storm of the season will initially hit Ireland on Sunday morning, where warnings for strong winds are in force across seven counties, including Galway, Mayo, Kerry and Donegal.
It will then track northeastwards and reach the UK early on Sunday morning, according to the Met Office, bringing with it likely power cuts, damage to buildings and travel disruption. Dozens of flood warnings are also in place.
Andy Gregory reports:
Traffic Scotland warns of disruption to travel
Sunday 20 October 2024 08:25
Alex Croft
STORM ASHLEY @metoffice has issued an amber weather warning for wind STRONG WINDS for the west of Scotland in association with Storm Ashley, leading to possible disruption to travel.
— Traffic Scotland (@trafficscotland) October 20, 2024
(SUNDAY 20th October 09:00 to 23:59)
For more information: https://t.co/Gj7KYdnYPD pic.twitter.com/jhAJG8kRz3
