Chris from Nailsea
|
|
« Reply #15 on: January 23, 2025, 19:06:03 » |
|
An update, from the BBC» : Millions get phone alert as Storm Éowyn closes in
Millions have received an emergency phone alert over the approaching Storm Éowyn, as schools and transport networks are due to shut and people asked to stay home in parts of the UK▸ .
The worst disruption is due to hit Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland on Friday, where the Met Office has issued rare red weather warnings and forecast gusts of up to 100mph (161km/h) in some coastal areas.
The warnings for wind mean flying debris could cause a danger to life.
Alerts were sent to about 4.5 million people in at least 28 areas of both Scotland and Northern Ireland just before 18:00 GMT on Thursday.
BBC Weather says it could be the storm of the century for the Republic of Ireland.
In the UK, the Met Office warns it is very likely there will be a risk to life and people should avoid travelling in Storm Éowyn - pronounced AY-oh-win - where possible.
Red is the most serious weather warning the Met Office can issue, meaning dangerous weather is expected and people are urged to take action to keep themselves and others safe. The Met Office warned people to expect damage to buildings and significant disruption to travel.
Emergency mobile alerts, like those issued on Thursday, make a sound even if a phone is on silent and this was the largest use of the tool so far. They coincided with the timings of the most serious warnings, with 22 areas in Scotland and six in Northern Ireland due to receive them.
The red warning for the whole of Northern Ireland will be in force from 07:00 to 14:00 on Friday, affecting the morning rush hour. Bus and train services have also been suspended in the country.
First minister Michelle O'Neill told reporters people can expect to receive an emergency alert on their phone this afternoon and "only to travel where it's absolutely necessary".
Stormont education minister Paul Givan said the decision to advise schools to close was taken to avoid any potential risk to life for children. "Schools should put plans in place today for remote learning so that pupils can study at home," he said.
Then as the storm moves east, a red warning is in place across Scotland's central belt, including Glasgow and Edinburgh, from 10:00 to 17:00.
First Minister John Swinney announced in the Scottish Parliament people should not travel in areas covered by the red warning.
Schools in at least 20 local authorities - covering most of central Scotland - will be closed on Friday.
In Edinburgh, the Scottish Parliament will also be shut to all but essential staff due to the severe weather warning.
Across the UK winds will rapidly increase from west to east on Friday morning into the afternoon with peak gusts of 80-90mph (129-145km/h).
There will likely be a large number of trees blown over with widespread disruption to travel with roads badly affected, and flights, trains and ferries will be subject to cancellations. Power cuts are also likely, some of which could last for a number of days.
Belfast City Airport warned there may be disruption to flights.
ScotRail has confirmed all rail services in Scotland will be suspended on Friday, adding that the closure was to ensure the safety of customers and staff. Train operators Avanti, LNER» , Lumo, CrossCountry, and Grand Central, TransPennine Express and Northern have also issued warnings not to travel in the north of England and north Wales on Friday.
The AA urged drivers travelling in red weather warning areas to consider whether a journey is necessary, and if not to postpone it. "If you do need to travel, make sure you're prepared for what you may encounter. Expect to come across fallen branches and other debris on the roads, especially in rural areas," roadside technician Chris Wood said.
The Irish weather forecaster Met Éireann has issued blanket red weather warnings covering all of the country - with widespread gusts in excess of 80mph expected. Forecaster Eoin Sherlock warned of "hurricane force winds", adding that gusts in coastal areas may even exceed these already "extraordinary" levels.
The Isle of Man has also taken the rare step of issuing a red weather warning for "violent storm force winds" on Friday, with forecasts in the island in the Irish sea also expecting gusts of up to 85mph.
Meanwhile, an amber warning for wind is in place on Friday from 06:00 to 21:00, for the north of England, north Wales and Scotland's central belt. Another amber warning warning for wind on Friday starts later at 13:00 to 06:00 on Saturday, for parts of Scotland.
However, the big change to the UK's weather begins on Thursday, as heavy rain and strong and gusty winds move across the country. Parts of the south coast of England, South West and much of the Welsh coast are covered by a yellow weather warning for wind until 18:00 GMT on Thursday. It is likely sea fronts will be affected by spray and large waves and power and travel disruption.
|
|
|
Logged
|
William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
|
|
|
GBM
|
|
« Reply #16 on: January 24, 2025, 06:21:54 » |
|
The down sleeper ran to time as far as Newton Abbot. Been stuck there for 80 minutes currently. Tree blocking the line around Ivybridge, but also rumours of overrunning engineering works or signal failure at Totnes.
|
|
|
Logged
|
Personal opinion only. Writings not representative of any union, collective, management or employer. (Think that absolves me...........)
|
|
|
Chris from Nailsea
|
|
« Reply #17 on: January 24, 2025, 21:01:21 » |
|
Here is the latest update, from the BBC» : One dead and more than a million without power in Storm Éowyn
One person has died in Ireland and hundreds of thousands of homes are without power in the UK▸ as Storm Éowyn brought record-breaking wind gusts.
A man died when a tree fell on his car in County Donegal, Gardaí (Irish police) said. Ireland saw its strongest gusts ever recorded, and 725,000 properties there are without power.
Amber warnings remain in place in Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England, with millions of people urged to stay at home as gusts of 100mph (160km/h) were recorded.
One in five flights in the UK were cancelled and all trains halted in Scotland on Friday. Every school in Northern Ireland was closed as the storm damaged buildings and tore down trees.
Two red warnings were in force earlier on Friday in Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland. Red is the most serious weather warning the Met Office can issue, meaning dangerous weather is expected and people are urged to take action to keep themselves and others safe. There are also yellow warnings for wind, rain, snow and ice across the UK over the next few days.
Northern Ireland is in "the eye of the storm" with a real threat to life and property, First Minister Michelle O'Neill said. The storm brought the strongest wind gusts in 27 years to Northern Ireland. There are more than 280,000 properties without power in Northern Ireland - and the number is expected to rise, NIE Networks said.
(Article continues)
Please, continue to be careful out there - if you even do need to travel.
|
|
|
Logged
|
William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
|
|
|
ChrisB
|
|
« Reply #18 on: January 24, 2025, 21:25:33 » |
|
From the Worcester NewsGreat Western Rail train hits tree during Storm Eowyn
PASSENGERS heard a "massive bang" when a train travelling between Worcester and Hereford hit a tree.
The train, which left Worcester Foregate Street at 6.34pm was delayed by half an hour, with others now also disrupted.
Charlotte Albutt, who was travelling on the train, said she heard a "massive bang" as the train hit the tree, followed by a "shudder", only two minutes into the journey.
The train came to a halt, making a "screech noise".
Initially, crews onboard told passengers that they had stopped at a red light, but then confirmed to passengers that the train had hit a tree, checks would need to be carried out, and the journey would be delayed.
Ms Albutt said she felt "frustrated" at the delay, with the train also being cold.
She added that the delay had affected her plans, with someone waiting for her at her arrival station.
On the National Rail website, the company is currently showing trains as delayed, with one delayed due to a fault on the train in front.
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
JayMac
|
|
« Reply #19 on: January 25, 2025, 16:35:09 » |
|
Image from Network Rail posted on Facebook, along with a request for those living near railway lines. It's usually lorries we worry about hitting rail bridges.
|
|
|
Logged
|
"Good news for regular users of Euston Station in London! One day they will die. Then they won't have to go to Euston Station ever again." - David Mitchell
|
|
|
Chris from Nailsea
|
|
« Reply #20 on: January 25, 2025, 16:52:14 » |
|
To be honest, I have very limited sympathy with Ms Albutt and her contact at her destination. Were they really completely oblivious to the weather warnings, issued up to a week before, about Storm Éowyn? Latest update from the BBC» : Éowyn strongest storm in 10 years, says Met Office
|
|
|
Logged
|
William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
|
|
|
Chris from Nailsea
|
|
« Reply #21 on: January 26, 2025, 17:48:39 » |
|
From the BBC» : High winds have brought power cuts across the southwest of England as a new storm hit the UK▸ on Sunday.Berry Head, in Devon, recorded gusts of 83mph (133km/h) from the new storm, named Herminia, while power cuts were reported by thousands in Devon. A 19-year-old man died when he was hit by a tree while driving in East Ayrshire on Friday during Storm Éowyn. He is the second death in the storm, with a 20-year-old man killed in County Donegal Ireland on Friday. The Met Office has issued multiple yellow weather warnings for wind and heavy rain on Sunday and Monday, saying injuries and "danger to life" were a possibility. Storm Herminia was named by the Spanish weather service Agencia Estatal de Meteorología (AEMET) on Friday and has now closed in on the UK, BBC Weather said. More than 4,500 properties are now without power in Devon and Cornwall. National Grid said 2,968 properties have been hit in Cornwall, with another 1,488 in Devon. National Rail said flooding between Par and Newquay has blocked the line and trains running between the two stations have been cancelled. A Ryanair flight that was expected to land at Cornwall Airport Newquay at 07:35 GMT was diverted to London Gatwick. People have been urged to stay away from the coast due to crashing waves. Maggie Howell, from Falmouth Coastguard, said the conditions out at sea were "really, really bad" on Sunday morning. Forecasters said the storm brings a large risk of disruptive weather, especially across the southern half of the UK, which largely escaped Éowyn. "Southwestern areas certainly bearing the brunt this time in terms of the most unsettled conditions," Met Office meteorologist Jonathan Vautrey said. Heavy rain is expected to move in across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and southern Scotland on Sunday, with between 10 and 20mm (nearly an inch) of rain expected to fall. Another band of rain will sweep in across England and Wales overnight into Monday, increasing the risk of flooding as the ground is already saturated. "Given recent heavy rain, this extra rainfall could lead to some local surface water and river flooding," Mr Vautrey said. Meanwhile, around 101,000 customers were still without power on Sunday following the devastation caused to the electricity network by Éowyn. A yellow weather warning for wind and a yellow warning for snow and ice will be in place across Northern Ireland on Sunday. It comes two days after Éowyn brought winds of more than 90mph to Northern Ireland. "Given ongoing recovery work after Storm Éowyn, impacts may be more widespread than would ordinarily be expected with winds of this strength," the Met Office said. At the storm's height, nearly a million properties were without power across the British Isles, while many road and rail links were blocked. This satellite image shows the area of cloud that will bring strong winds and heavy rain to parts of the UK through Sunday and Monday
|
|
|
Logged
|
William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
|
|
|
ChrisB
|
|
« Reply #22 on: January 26, 2025, 19:24:15 » |
|
Would it not be sensible to aggregate these storm notices into one thread?
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
broadgage
|
|
« Reply #23 on: January 27, 2025, 04:11:53 » |
|
Image from Network Rail posted on Facebook, along with a request for those living near railway lines. It's usually lorries we worry about hitting rail bridges.
It could be worse, there appears to be no obstruction to trains on the bridge, and almost no obstruction to road vehicle passing under the bridge. Only road vehicles bear the upper limit of height and width would be affected.
|
|
|
Logged
|
A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard. It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc. A 5 car DMU▸ is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
|
|
|
Chris from Nailsea
|
|
« Reply #24 on: January 27, 2025, 20:52:21 » |
|
Would it not be sensible to aggregate these storm notices into one thread?
A good suggestion, ChrisB: I have now done that. CfN.
|
|
« Last Edit: January 27, 2025, 20:58:40 by Chris from Nailsea »
|
Logged
|
William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
|
|
|
Chris from Nailsea
|
|
« Reply #25 on: January 28, 2025, 19:41:35 » |
|
A further update, from the BBC» : Why stormy UK▸ weather is likely to continue for the rest of winterStorm Éowyn was one of the most exceptional storms of the decade according to the Met Office with 100mph (160km/h) winds recorded in Scotland.The fifth named storm of the season brought widespread disruption and damage, and sadly two deaths. Strong winds and heavy rain continued into the start of the week as Storm Herminia rolled through. But as we head into February and the last month of winter, what is the long-range forecast? Well we are probably going to have to be ready for further stormy weather at times. Since the Met Office started naming storms in 2015 the most active season was in 2023/24 with 12, when we reached the letter L - for Lilian - in the alphabet of named storms. The year before that, there were only two. With so much natural variability in our weather, the number of named storms we experience each year is influenced by other meteorological patterns around the world and so it is difficult to directly compare storminess to previous years. Winter is defined in meteorology as December, January and February. Up until now we have had a real mix of unsettled weather with five named storms but we also had a significant cold snap in early January. With -18.9C recorded in Altnaharra, Highland on 11 January it was the coldest January night in the UK for 15 years. Widespread snow and ice caused disruption across the UK. However, long-range weather forecasts are hinting at the opposite for the rest of winter. An active jet stream - the fast moving air high in the atmosphere - appears to be the dominant driver for weather conditions and this is likely to bring frequent low pressure systems across north-west Europe. In its three-month forecast, the Met Office suggests that the chances of impacts from wet and windy weather is increased compared to normal, particularly throughout February. It also says "the increased risk of storms gives rise to a greater risk of 'storm clustering', with consecutive events affecting the UK in quick succession". DTN, the forecast provider for BBC Weather, also suggests that "risks of disruptive wind events are likely to be higher, especially during February". (Article continues)
|
|
|
Logged
|
William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
|
|
|
|