The Met Office has warned of a danger to life as Storm Bert brought nearly a month’s worth of rain in less than 48 hours – placing nearly 400 areas at risk of flooding and causing severe travel disruption.
Winds of up to 82mph have so far been recorded and, as temperatures rise, melting snow and heavy rain are causing flooding, with energy chiefs warning the worst of the impact is yet to come. Six weather alerts for rain and wind were in force across the UK on Sunday.
Homes and cars were submerged in Wales as rising waters were reported in towns across the country, including Pontypridd, Ebbw Vale and Aberdare.
A man in his 60s died after a tree fell on his car in Hampshire, while 10 people were rescued from a home hit by a landslide in north Wales, rescue services said.
Tens of thousands of homes have been without power, with 4,000 homes affected in the Midlands, south-west England and South Wales and 27,000 customers affected in the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire. In Ireland, thousands were still left without electricity on Saturday evening.
Key points
- Six weather alerts in force as Storm Bert brings ‘danger to life'
- Nearly a month’s worth of rain falls within 48 hours in Wales
- Homes and cars submerged by floodwaters
- Man in 60s killed after tree falls on car in Hampshire
- ‘Thick and fast’ snow brings ‘atrocious’ travel conditions and blizzards
Firefighters pump water out of Pontypridd street
14:08
Andy Gregory
Firefighters have begun to pump water out of Sion Street in Pontypridd where several homes have been flooded.
This is the second time in four years the street – which runs alongside the River Taff – has experienced major flooding.
Members of the public have been arriving to pass out food and drinks to the emergency workers and people bailing water from their homes.
Storm Bert continues to cause havoc on railways
13:51
Andy Gregory
Busy rail routes have also been affected by the blustery weather.
Multiple fallen trees have damaged overhead electrical wires on the railway line between Liverpool Street and Stansted Airport, causing major disruption until further notice, Greater Anglia said.
Great Western Railway services between Plymouth and Penzance, Reading and Basingstoke and Exeter and Barnstaple have had lines blocked by fallen trees leading to cancellations and delays.
Southwestern Railway services into London Waterloo have been disrupted by a tree blocking the railway between Fleet and Farnborough in Hampshire.
With nearly 400 areas at risk of flooding, severe flooding blocked railway lines between Birmingham New Street and Shrewsbury on Sunday morning, but all lines have now reopened. Trains on the route could still be disrupted until well into the afternoon, National Rail said.
Heathrow and Gatwick: flight cancellation chaos intensifies
13:34
Simon Calder, Travel Correspondent
Many more flights have been cancelled at Heathrow as Storm Bert disrupts flight schedules.
British Airways has now grounded well over 100 short-haul flights to and from the UK’s busiest airport. Links to Athens and Gibraltar are among the most recent cancellations.
Other airlines have also grounded flights, including SAS to and from Stockholm, TAP Portugal serving Lisbon and two round-trips from Amsterdam on KLM.
Several diversions have added to the disruptions. Emirates’ flagship service, EK1, diverted to Birmingham after attempting to land at Heathrow. An Austrian Airlines flight from Vienna went to Brussels. And two Heathrow-bound flights – Egyptair from Cairo and Saudia from Jeddah – diverted to Gatwick.
The Sussex airport has itself seen four diversions, too. Ryanair from Dublin and easyJet from Nantes both went to Birmingham instead. Wizz Air from Rome landed at Stansted. The longest diversion was on Vueling: a flight from Barcelona to Gatwick flew to Manchester. It later returned to its intended destination.
Storm Bert brings nearly a month’s worth of rainfall in less than 48 hours
13:33
Andy Gregory
Storm Bert has brought more than 80 per cent of November’s average monthly rainfall in less than 48 hours as it continues to cause disruption around the country.
Since the storm began in the early hours of Saturday, 149mm of rain has fallen in Tyn-Y-Waun in Mid Glamorgan, Wales. On average, the area sees 180mm of rain in the whole of November, Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst said.
In England, 135.7mm of rain has been recorded from the beginning of the storm until 11am on Sunday in White Barrow in Devon which is around half of the total rainfall typical in November.
How long will Storm Bert last?
13:14
Andy Gregory
According to the Met Office, Storm Bert will finally clear form the far northeast early on Tuesday.
While next week will bring quieter weather for many, there is a risk of some further rain and strong winds across the south of the UK on Tuesday night and Wednesday, the forecaster said.
Looking further ahead, there are indications that the UK could see a brief return to colder conditions although for many, but it will be drier than of late, the Met Office said.
However, it is uncertain how long the more settled conditions will last, with rain probably returning to westernmost areas at least by the end of the week.
Storm Bert brings more than 130mm of rainfall in just 24 hours
12:57
Andy Gregory
More than 130mm of rain has already fallen in some areas over the past 24 hours, according to the Met Office.
Those large accumulations of rainfall, plus rapidly thawed snowfall from yesterday, has created a flood risk in hundreds of parts of the UK.
Watch: Fallen tree blocks off road in Kent
12:38
Andy Gregory
Wind warnings in place in several counties across island of Ireland
12:19
Andy Gregory
Wind warnings are in place for several counties on the island of Ireland on Sunday as Storm Bert continues to cause challenging conditions. The storm, which landed overnight on Friday, flooded villages and roads, and disrupted travel.
In Co Donegal, Bridge Street in Killybegs was dramatically flooded, with homes and charities impacted, while the River Feale in west Limerick burst its banks. After alerts warning of rain, wind and snow lifted on Saturday, clean-up operations began and power supplies were restored to thousands of homes and businesses.
On Sunday, forecasters issued low-level wind warnings for 13 counties across the island.
Met Office graphic shows Storm Bert outlook on Sunday afternoon
12:08
Andy Gregory
A new Met Office graphic shows the outlook for Sunday afternoon, as a band of heavy rain moves in from the southwest, affecting much of England and Wales, while western Scotland continues to be buffeted by powerful winds.
A windy afternoon to come for many as #StormBert continues to move across the UK ⚠️
— Met Office (@metoffice) November 24, 2024
Outbreaks of heavy rain for parts of England and Wales ️
Brighter elsewhere, with sunshine and blustery showers ️ pic.twitter.com/VMoFRfP0l6
Homes and cars submerged in Wales
11:29
Andy Gregory
Homes and cars are underwater as Storm Bert continues to take its destructive toll on Wales.
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has issued more than 100 flood warnings and alerts across the country, with bridges shut and roads closed.
Rising waters have been reported in towns across the country, including Pontypridd, Ebbw Vale and Aberdare, with landslides in north Wales.
Videos and pictures being shared on social media show parts of Pontypridd underwater, with cars submerged and homeowners bailing out their properties next to the River Taff.
The Pontypridd Parkrun Facebook page said: “Our park has been flooded again whilst we do not know the full extent of any damage yet, initial pictures do not look good.”
Severe flooding in Pontypridd as council ‘declares major incident'
11:15
Andy Gregory
Rhondda Cynon Taf council has declared a major incident due to “significant flooding” across the county, the BBC reports.
Pictures are emerging on social media showing parts of Pontypridd submerged by floodwaters. The council said it had set up emergency rest centres at Pontypridd library and Ystrad sports centre.
Flooding again in Pontypridd as a result of Storm Bert pic.twitter.com/2NRJwaPFK7
— Stephen Fairclough (@stephenfairc) November 24, 2024
Flooding in Pontypridd today pic.twitter.com/GW7t57hxxx
— Neil H (@neil_harries) November 24, 2024
Nearly 400 areas now at risk of flooding
10:45
Andy Gregory
The number of areas at risk of flooding has now increased to nearly 400.
In England, the Environment Agency has issued 76 flood warnings – meaning flooding is expected – and a further 193 flood alerts, which warn that it is possible.
In Wales, there are 51 flood warnings in force – mostly in the southeast – and a further 60 alerts.
Scotland is subject to five warnings – one in Orkney, three in Tayside, and another at Strath Oykel – along with six alerts.
One hundred-plus flight cancellations at London Heathrow airport
10:08
Simon Calder, Travel Correspondent
More than 100 short-haul flights to and from London Heathrow airport have been cancelled on Sunday.
The vast majority – at least 94 – are on British Airways. The airline has grounded three round trips to Amsterdam, Barcelona, Edinburgh and Milan, as well as multiple European flights to and from Rome, Copenhagen, Madrid, Brussels and Paris. Domestic departures to Aberdeen, Belfast, Glasgow, Manchester and Newcastle are also affected.
The Independent is seeking the reason for the cancellations. With high winds expected, it is usual for the “flow rate” of landing aircraft to be reduced, and for airlines at Heathrow to be asked to reduce the number of flights.
In addition to the BA cancellations, Aer Lingus has grounded one flight each serving Cork, Dublin and Shannon. Lufthansa has cancelled one flight to Munich and two to Frankfurt.
Finnair, Swiss and Turkish Airlines have also grounded one flight each to their hubs
‘Exceptionally mild’ morning for some, with temperatures higher than 17C
10:07
Andy Gregory
It has been an exceptionally mild start in places this morning, with temperatures 6C to 10C above the daytime November maximum, according to the Met Office.
It is also an exceptionally mild start in places this morning, with temperatures 6-10 °C above the daytime November max pic.twitter.com/X7KDLTiIk4
— Met Office (@metoffice) November 24, 2024
Violent storm force 11 winds forecast in British waters
09:41
Andy Gregory
Violent storm force 11 winds – the most powerful short of hurricane-force on the Beaufort scale – are set to hit British waters on Sunday, according to the BBC’s shipping forecast.
The forecast, which denotes winds of between 64 and 72mph, has been issued in four areas – Rockall, around 200 miles west of the Hebrides, Bailey, which lies further north, the Faroes, and southeast Iceland.
Government in close contact with energy firms as they seek to restore outages, minister says
09:22
Andy Gregory
Energy secretary Ed Miliband has said his department is in close contact with energy firms as they seek to restore power to those affected by outages caused by Storm Bert.
Mr Miliband said: “My thoughts are with all those affected by Storm Bert.
“For those who have lost power, my department will be keeping in close touch with the energy companies as they seek to ensure it is restored as swiftly as possible and help those affected.”
Pictured: Firefighters work to pump water away from flooded streets on outskirts of Belfast
09:10
Andy Gregory
Hundreds of trains cancelled due to Storm Bert
08:57
Simon Calder, Travel Correspondent
Hundreds of trains have been cancelled because of the effects of Storm Bert.
South Western Railway
The main problem on the network from London Waterloo to Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset and Devon is fallen trees. There are blockages between Cobham and Oxshott; between Basingstoke and Farnborough; between Reading and Basingstoke; and between Exeter Central and Honiton.
Northern Rail Many Northern Rail passengers are experiencing difficult journeys. Trains cannot run between Lancaster and Barrow-in-Furness due to flooding in the Ulverston area. “Due to the adverse weather conditions, Northern are currently struggling for road transport availability,” National Rail says.
The Settle-Carlisle line across the Pennines is closed due to flooding in the Hellifield area. The Leeds-Harrogate-York line is also blocked east of Horforth.
Transport for Wales
Due to the impact of Storm Bert, the Heart of Wales line between Shrewsbury and Swansea as well as the link from Llandudno to Blaenau Ffestiniog are both closed. Bus replacements are in place. Flooding on the Valley lines north of Cardiff is also causing cancellations.
Ten people rescued from house hit by landslide in north Wales
08:33
Andy Gregory
Five adults and five children had to be rescued from a house in Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog, near Llangollen in north Wales, following a landslide, North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said.
Five crews attended the incident after the fire and rescue service was called just prior to 2pm on Saturday. The property has sustained substantial damage, the service said.
Travel disruption continues on Sunday as ferries cancelled and roads closed
08:18
Andy Gregory
Travel disruption has continued into Sunday as ferry operator DFDS cancelled services on some routes until Monday, including its Newhaven to Dieppe sailings.
It comes after as much as 64.4mm of rain fell in Capel Curig, north Wales, in 12 hours on Saturday and wind gusts of up to 82mph were recorded in the Welsh village.
In Wales, the A40 was closed due to a fallen tree, impacting road users from Sennybridge to Brecon, according to Dyfed-Powys Police. In southeast Wales, Gwent Police reported flooding on Sunday morning on the A465, travelling from Merthyr Tydfil towards Tredegar.
Rail operators had cancelled services on some routes all day on Saturday and urged passengers to check their routes before making journeys.
Avanti West Coast cancelled its service between Edinburgh and Carlisle all day on Saturday with the next direct service from Carlisle not scheduled to run until Sunday afternoon. Train journeys to and from Manchester Piccadilly were disrupted on Saturday evening as flooding between Macclesfield and Stoke-on-Trent blocked some lines.
‘Danger to life’ as six Met Office weather warnings in force on Sunday for wind and rain
07:52
Andy Gregory
There are currently six Met Office weather warnings in force across the UK.
The entirety of Northern Ireland is subject to a warning over strong winds, with forecasters predicting that delays to road, rail, air and ferry transport are likely, that coastal communities will be impacted by spray and large waves, and that loss of power and other services is possible.
The south coast of England and west coast of Wales are also both covered by an alert for wind, which also warns of “a small chance that injuries and danger to life could occur from large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties”, and “a small chance of injuries and danger to life from flying debris”.
Further warnings for rain in southwest England and south Wales caution that some communities may be cut off by flooded roads, with homes and businesses flooded, with fast flowing or deep floodwater possible, causing a danger to life.
A warning for very strong winds has also been issued on the west coast of Scotland, which forecasters say are likely to bring disruption to transport, and dangerous coastal and marine conditions.
More than 300 areas at risk of flooding
07:42
Andy Gregory
More than 300 areas are at risk of flooding as Storm Bert lashes Britain.
As of Sunday morning, the Environment Agency has issued 56 flood warnings in England – meaning flooding is expected – and a further 168 flood alerts, which warn that it is possible.
In Wales, there are 34 flood warnings in force – mostly in the southeast – and 57 alerts, while Scotland is subject to four warnings – one in Orkney, two in Tayside, and another at Strath Oykel – along with six alerts.
Police investigate whether death of man killed when tree fell on car was linked to weather
07:00
Tara Cobham
Police are investigating whether the death of a man who was killed when a tree fell on his car was linked to the weather.
Hampshire Police said the man in his 60s died on the A34 near Winchester on Saturday morning, as Storm Bert battered the UK and Ireland.
The force was called at 7.47am to the southbound carriageway between Kings Worthy and Winnall and found the driver of a black Mercedes E350 dead at the scene.
It is unclear if the incident was related to Storm Bert but the cause is under investigation.
A silver Skoda Kodiaq was also damaged but no other injuries were reported.
Hampshire Police said the man’s family has been informed.
Lengthy lane closures were put in place and the force is appealing for anyone with information to come forward, particularly anyone with relevant dashcam footage.
Championship football match in Lancashire postponed due to torrential rain
06:00
Tara Cobham
A Championship football match in Lancashire has been postponed due to torrential rain.
Blackburn Rovers were set to face Portsmouth at Ewood Park at 3pm on Saturday but the match will now be played at a later date.
In a post on X, Blackburn Rovers said: “Due to an unplayable pitch caused by torrential rain, today’s match against Portsmouth at Ewood Park has been postponed by the match official.
“We will announce details of the rearranged fixture in due course.”
Watch: Snow falls across England and Scotland during Storm Bert
05:00
Tara Cobham
Every storm name for 2024/25 revealed
04:00
Tara Cobham
The Met Office has already confirmed the storm names to be used across 2024 and 2025.
The new storms list – first launched in 2015 – for each year generally runs from early September until late August the following year, coinciding with the beginning of autumn.
James, Lewis and Mavis are all included in the new list in honour of figures from the Met Office’s 170-year history.
Find out more here:
Wales set to face up to 75mm of rain widely over weekend
03:00
Tara Cobham
Wales is expected to face up to 75mm of rain widely over the weekend, with 150mm possible in some areas.
The strongest gust recorded so far by the Met Office is 82mph at Capel Curig in Conwy, north Wales, with winds of 70mph expected around coastal areas.
Storm Bert mapped: When and where UK will be hit by snow and winds
02:00
Tara Cobham
The Met Office has warned Brits to prepare for a weekend of rain, wind and snow as Storm Bert sweeps the country.
Weather warnings are in place every day until Sunday – including more severe amber alerts – as the country braces for more wintry weather after temperatures plummeted earlier in the week.
The majority of the UK will be facing at least one weather warning in the days to come, with Scotland and northern England expected to be the worst affected.
My colleagues Athena Stavrou and Andy Gregory report:
In pictures: Storm Bert blankets parts of UK in snow
01:00
Tara Cobham
Watch: Newcastle airport runway ‘decimated’ by snow as Storm Bert hits
00:00
Tara Cobham
How to stay safe during Storm Bert
Saturday 23 November 2024 23:00
Tara Cobham
The Met Office has warned Brits to prepare for a weekend of rain, wind and snow as Storm Bert sweeps the country.
It has sparked warnings of “atrocious” travel conditions and power cuts as the “multi-hazard” weather event brings heavy snow and torrential rain to swathes of Britain.
An amber alert for heavy snow and ice will be in force in between 7am and 5pm on Saturday, for an area north of Scotland’s central belt, while other areas in the UK have been issued with yellow weather warnings for wind, snow and rain.
So, what can we do to prepare and protect ourselves, and our homes, from these turbulent conditions? Find out here:
Storm Bert causes travel chaos across UK and Ireland
Saturday 23 November 2024 22:00
Tara Cobham
Storm Bert battered the UK and Ireland with snow, rain and strong winds on Saturday, closing several railway lines, bridges and roads.
Snow covered roads and stranded cars in parts of the northern UK, while the runway at the Newcastle airport in northeast England was blanketed in white, briefly disrupting flights.
In Scotland, some train services were suspended due to the weather, ScotRail said on X. The Severn Bridge, which connects Wales to England, was shut due to strong winds, the National Highways website showed.
In Ireland, the heavy rain led to flooding in parts of the west coast, making some roads impassable. The Irish Meteorological Service placed a "status red" rain warning – its highest level – for the counties of Cork and Galway from Friday night. Floodwater could be seen rising towards the top of parked cars in the Donegal town of Killybegs.
Clean-up begins in Ireland after Storm Bert as thousands still left without power
Saturday 23 November 2024 21:00
Tara Cobham
Clean-up operations are under way after Storm Bert swept across the island of Ireland, causing flooding and thousands of power outages.
Power cuts affected 60,000 customers at the height of the outage; ESB teams are still working to restore supplies to the thousands still left without electricity.
Status red rain warnings were in place for Cork and Galway until 10am on Saturday, with an orange alert for rain in place for counties Waterford, Kerry, Clare, Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim.
Read more here:
How to stay safe during Storm Bert
Saturday 23 November 2024 20:01
Andy Gregory
As the Met Office issues a flurry of weather warnings over the weekend, what can we do to prepare and protect ourselves, and our homes, from these turbulent conditions?
Camilla Foster reports:
Pictured: Snow blankets Scottish city of Stirling
Saturday 23 November 2024 19:38
Andy Gregory
Where are flood warnings in force in Wales?
Saturday 23 November 2024 19:15
Andy Gregory
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has issued a series of flood warnings and alerts across the country, as bridges are shut and roads closed. Over the weekend, Wales is expected to face up to 75mm of rain widely, with 150 mm possible in some areas.
NRW has issued flood warnings – where flooding is expected, and immediate action is required – on five stretches of river. It has also issued alerts – where flooding is possible – for more than 30 areas across Wales.
Warnings are in place around:
- River Loughor at Ammanford and Llandybie impacting low-lying property in Ammanford, Llandybie and Aberlash, including Carmarthenshire College
- River Severn, affecting the village of Aberbechan
- River Severn, affecting parts of the village of Abermule
- River Cothi in low lying areas between Pontargothi and Pontynyswen, including the Cothi Bridge Hotel
- River Towy, affecting isolated properties, as well as farms and roads, between Llandeilo and Abbergwili
Gusts of 82mph recorded in north Wales
Saturday 23 November 2024 18:52
Andy Gregory
The strongest gust recorded by the Met Office on Saturday afternoon was 82mph at Capel Curig in Conwy, north Wales, with winds of 70mph expected around coastal areas.
The Needles on the Isle of Wight saw gusts of 76mph, while winds reached 69mph at Devon’s Berry Head.
Holidaymakers at ‘decimated’ Newcastle Airport express surprise at intensity of snowfall
Saturday 23 November 2024 18:30
PA
Holidaymakers at Newcastle International Airport said the runway was “decimated” by snow as Storm Bert batters the country with strong winds, heavy rain and snow and ice.
Frequent travellers Tim Harding, 53, and his wife, Chona, 58, were due to fly at 9.15am with Dutch airline KLM to Amsterdam from Newcastle before flying with Delta airlines to Orlando, Florida, to meet their family in the US for Thanksgiving.
Mr Harding said: “Going to the airport... it was sleeting all the way through then all of a sudden it started coming down.
“There were about four or five snow ploughs on the runway and they just couldn’t clear it. It was windy and it was literally coming down really quick, so hard. In the space of two hours, it went from nothing to decimated.
“The gritters were out continuously, the ploughs were out continuously, but it just wasn’t having an impact unfortunately. I was surprised how quickly it came down and how much came down in a two-hour period. I haven’t seen that for a long time.”
Met Office predicts heavy rain will develop overnight and into Sunday
Saturday 23 November 2024 18:07
Andy Gregory
The Met Office forecasts heavy rain developing overnight and into Sunday for south-west and southern England, stretching from Oxford to Truro.
There is a chance that some places over Dartmoor could see 100-150mm of rainfall, the national weather service said.
A yellow warning is in place from 6am on Saturday until 11.45pm on Sunday and up to 70mm of rain could fall during this time.
Homeowners facing flooding as Storm Bert batters Wales
Saturday 23 November 2024 16:49
Tara Cobham
Homeowners are facing flooding as Storm Bert continues to batter Wales, bringing rain, winds and rising waters.
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has issued a series of flood warnings and alerts across the country, as bridges are shut and roads closed.
Five adults and five children had to be rescued from a house in Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog, near Llangollen in north Wales, following a landslide.
George Thompson reports:
Five children among 10 rescued from Wales home after landslide
Saturday 23 November 2024 16:45
Tara Cobham
Five children are among the 10 people who have been rescued from a home in north Wales following a landslide.
The five adults and five children were rescued from the house in Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog, near Llangollen.
A North Wales Fire and Rescue Services spokesman said they are all being assessed by ambulance services away from the scene “somewhere warm”.
A further landslide has been reported in the area but it is understood no-one else was affected.
Watch: Newcastle airport runway 'decimated' by snow as Storm Bert hits
Saturday 23 November 2024 16:30
Andy Gregory
More than 30,000 homes suffer power cuts
Saturday 23 November 2024 16:09
Andy Gregory
Tens of thousands of homes have been without power on Saturday as Storm Bert batters the UK.
Some 4,000 homes have been affected in the Midlands, south-west England and South Wales, while a further 27,000 customers were affected in the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire.
Dozens more flood alerts issued
Saturday 23 November 2024 15:50
Andy Gregory
As of 3pm on Saturday, there were 26 flood warnings – meaning flooding is expected – in force in England, along with 83 lesser flood alerts in areas where flooding is possible.
There were six flood alerts covering swathes of southern and eastern Scotland, and one warning in Orkney, while Wales was subject to 41 alerts and five warnings.
What are the latest Met Office weather warnings?
Saturday 23 November 2024 15:34
Andy Gregory
As of 3pm on Saturday, there remained seven yellow weather alerts in place, stretching the length of the UK, but mostly in western areas.
The entire south coast and much of western Scotland were subject to warnings for strong winds, with a rain alert in force in Wales until 6am on Sunday. Further rain alerts were issued in northwestern England and central Scotland.
Edinburgh bus services halted due to safety concerns
Saturday 23 November 2024 15:02
Andy Gregory
One of Scotland’s biggest bus firms has paused its services due to the impact of Storm Bert.
Lothian Buses, which operates the majority of routes in Edinburgh, as well as services in East Lothian, Midlothian and West Lothian, said buses had been halted due to safety concerns.
In a post on X, the firm said: “Due to adverse weather across the network, buses are unable to continue due to safety concerns.
“We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused, and thank you for your patience while our teams work to assess routes.”
Overhead power line warning issued
Saturday 23 November 2024 14:43
Andy Gregory
UK Power Networks, the operator for the east and south-east of England, has warned people to stay away from overhead power lines amid the powerful winds brought by Storm Bert.