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| ‘Weather bomb’ hits UK bringing travel chaos and disruption | |
| (4 months later) | |
| Scotland and Ireland have been battered by gales today, with thousands left without power in the Highlands and Western Isles as winds reached nearly 150mph on some outlying islands. | Scotland and Ireland have been battered by gales today, with thousands left without power in the Highlands and Western Isles as winds reached nearly 150mph on some outlying islands. |
| The “weather bomb” was caused by a deep low-pressure system moving between Iceland and Scotland. The effects of the storm are expected to continue overnight into Thursday and Friday, before conditions ease substantially at the weekend. Waves of up to 50ft were recorded along the west coast of Scotland, with Stornoway coastguards designating the tidal surges as “phenomenal”. | The “weather bomb” was caused by a deep low-pressure system moving between Iceland and Scotland. The effects of the storm are expected to continue overnight into Thursday and Friday, before conditions ease substantially at the weekend. Waves of up to 50ft were recorded along the west coast of Scotland, with Stornoway coastguards designating the tidal surges as “phenomenal”. |
| A Spanish fishing vessel and its crew of 16 were rescued after getting into difficulties off Orkney, and in Aberdeenshire about 20 cars were freed after they became stuck in icy conditions. | A Spanish fishing vessel and its crew of 16 were rescued after getting into difficulties off Orkney, and in Aberdeenshire about 20 cars were freed after they became stuck in icy conditions. |
| High winds also battered Ireland’s western seaboard, with tourists and staff evacuated from the Cliffs of Moher beauty spot in County Clare after gusts started to throw up debris from the shore. Several tourists were injured when they were swept off their feet by the strong winds and a vehicle evacuating staff members was also lifted off the ground. | High winds also battered Ireland’s western seaboard, with tourists and staff evacuated from the Cliffs of Moher beauty spot in County Clare after gusts started to throw up debris from the shore. Several tourists were injured when they were swept off their feet by the strong winds and a vehicle evacuating staff members was also lifted off the ground. |
| Many trains and ferry services across Scotland were cancelled overnight in anticipation of the extreme conditions, and the Forth and Skye road bridges were closed to vehicles for a time, with gusts of up to 70mph recorded on the Tay bridge. A gust of 81mph was recorded in Tiree while South Uist was hit by 79mph gales, according to the Met Office. The strongest wind – 144mph – was recorded on Hirta, the largest of St Kilda’s islands, in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides. | Many trains and ferry services across Scotland were cancelled overnight in anticipation of the extreme conditions, and the Forth and Skye road bridges were closed to vehicles for a time, with gusts of up to 70mph recorded on the Tay bridge. A gust of 81mph was recorded in Tiree while South Uist was hit by 79mph gales, according to the Met Office. The strongest wind – 144mph – was recorded on Hirta, the largest of St Kilda’s islands, in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides. |
| A weather bomb is an imported term for rapid cyclogenesis – caused when a low-pressure system or depression deepens by 24mb in 24 hours, and leading to windy, wet weather. | A weather bomb is an imported term for rapid cyclogenesis – caused when a low-pressure system or depression deepens by 24mb in 24 hours, and leading to windy, wet weather. |
| In the Western Isles, the worst-hit area of the country, all schools, nurseries and council facilities were closed with police advising the public not to travel unless it is absolutely necessary. Fifteen flood warnings and twelve flood alerts havebeen issued by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa), and the Met Office has upgraded its warning to amber “be prepared” status for the west coast of Scotland, the Highlands and Islands, Orkney, Shetland and Northern Ireland. High winds are also expected to hit northern parts of England and Wales, with yellow “be aware” warnings in place. | In the Western Isles, the worst-hit area of the country, all schools, nurseries and council facilities were closed with police advising the public not to travel unless it is absolutely necessary. Fifteen flood warnings and twelve flood alerts havebeen issued by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa), and the Met Office has upgraded its warning to amber “be prepared” status for the west coast of Scotland, the Highlands and Islands, Orkney, Shetland and Northern Ireland. High winds are also expected to hit northern parts of England and Wales, with yellow “be aware” warnings in place. |
| People have taken to social media to warn fellow travellers of disruption, using the hashtag #weatherbomb. In the early afternoon, Network Rail Scotland tweeted that a garden shed had been blown on to a railway line near Bowling in west Dunbartonshire. | People have taken to social media to warn fellow travellers of disruption, using the hashtag #weatherbomb. In the early afternoon, Network Rail Scotland tweeted that a garden shed had been blown on to a railway line near Bowling in west Dunbartonshire. |
| Steve Willington, chief meteorologist at the Met Office, said: “Very strong winds are likely to affect northern and central parts of the UK until early Thursday as a very deep low-pressure system moves slowly eastwards between Scotland and Iceland. A period of severe gales is likely over northern and central Britain, as well as the potential for storm force winds over north-western coastal areas of Scotland.” | Steve Willington, chief meteorologist at the Met Office, said: “Very strong winds are likely to affect northern and central parts of the UK until early Thursday as a very deep low-pressure system moves slowly eastwards between Scotland and Iceland. A period of severe gales is likely over northern and central Britain, as well as the potential for storm force winds over north-western coastal areas of Scotland.” |
| Deputy first minister John Swinney, who met the Scottish government’s resilience committee last night to plan for the bad weather, said: “It’s important to keep this in context, it’s not a surprise that Scotland faces severe winter weather. We face it to a greater or lesser extent every year. This morning we’re wrestling with a number of different issues.” Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland, he added: “We’re wrestling with very high wind speeds, which are not that uncommon in the Western Isles for example, but they are still severe and need to be prepared for.” | Deputy first minister John Swinney, who met the Scottish government’s resilience committee last night to plan for the bad weather, said: “It’s important to keep this in context, it’s not a surprise that Scotland faces severe winter weather. We face it to a greater or lesser extent every year. This morning we’re wrestling with a number of different issues.” Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland, he added: “We’re wrestling with very high wind speeds, which are not that uncommon in the Western Isles for example, but they are still severe and need to be prepared for.” |
| Swinney and the first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, took part in a meeting of the Scottish government’s resilience committeeon Wednesday. Swinney said: “The government has been working closely with the power companies, with our resilience partnerships throughout the country, and with transport providers to make sure that normal service is delivered as much as we possibly can do. We’ve had some significant power outages in different parts of the country, and the power companies have been trying to restore those as quickly as is possible and keeping the government informed about the progress that has been made. | Swinney and the first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, took part in a meeting of the Scottish government’s resilience committeeon Wednesday. Swinney said: “The government has been working closely with the power companies, with our resilience partnerships throughout the country, and with transport providers to make sure that normal service is delivered as much as we possibly can do. We’ve had some significant power outages in different parts of the country, and the power companies have been trying to restore those as quickly as is possible and keeping the government informed about the progress that has been made. |
| “Obviously there has been transport disruption, principally on the ferry network and also on some of the coastal rail services where it’s just been unsafe to run trains because of the dangers of the coastal flooding that could have taken place.” | “Obviously there has been transport disruption, principally on the ferry network and also on some of the coastal rail services where it’s just been unsafe to run trains because of the dangers of the coastal flooding that could have taken place.” |