According to forecasters, a rare weather pattern known as Storm Isha is expected to bring strong winds and heavy rain to the entire UK.
Strong winds reaching 80mph are expected to arrive on Sunday, possibly resulting in power outages and disruptions to cell phone service. Road closures and bridge closures are also possible, and transportation services may experience delays and cancellations in certain regions.
It is possible that certain areas could experience heavy rainfall of approximately four inches within a short period of time, leading to localized flooding. Currently, there are eight flood warnings in effect throughout England.
There is a cautionary advisory for strong winds, which may result in high waves along coastlines, scattered debris, and challenging travel conditions.
The Met Office has warned citizens of Britain to anticipate potential disruptions to travel, destruction to structures, and objects being blown around as strong winds from the southwest of up to 80mph may impact exposed coastlines, with gusts of up to 60mph possible inland.
The Department of Infrastructure stated that it anticipates all areas in Northern Ireland to experience impact, particularly along the coast and in vulnerable areas, during the early hours of Monday. It also cautioned that the ongoing strike may impede recovery efforts. Last week, numerous public sector employees participated in picket lines in what was deemed the largest industrial action in recent history. As a precaution, drivers are advised to carefully consider their travels as strong winds are expected from 11am on Sunday until 4am on Monday.
According to the Met Office, there will be continued wet and windy weather on Tuesday following Storm Isha, with a current yellow wind warning in effect.
The forecaster alerted the public of potential danger on Friday by issuing amber weather warnings for wind in northern and western England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and certain areas of Scotland from Sunday to Monday. The warnings included potential risks to life, strong winds, heavy rain, and possible damage to buildings.
A warning has been issued for strong winds in London and the southeast of England, beginning at midnight on Sunday and lasting until 9am on Monday morning.
According to East Midlands Railway, there will be considerable inconvenience on Sunday and Monday with delays and changes to their services. Additionally, Police Scotland recommended that individuals should refrain from non-essential travel.
On Sunday, there is a possibility for heavy rain with amounts of 30-50mm in various areas, and there could be up to 80-100mm in mountainous regions.
After the storm passes, Network Rail will check closed train lines for any harm and alert passengers that service on impacted routes will begin later on Monday.
The train company recommended that passengers verify their trip with National Rail Enquiries.
Liam Sumpter, the COO of Scotland’s Railway, stated that the safety of their passengers and employees is their top concern. Due to the severe impact of Storm Isha on the country, they have chosen to shut down certain sections of their network early on Sunday evening.
Before we can resume train services on Monday morning, our engineers will need to carefully examine the network for any potential damage.
Our team of weather experts in the control room will closely monitor conditions over the weekend, and our ground teams are prepared to swiftly address any storm-related problems.
Storm Isha is the ninth named storm to hit the UK since the season began in September.
This report includes contributions from PA Media.
Source: theguardian.com
