Storm Jocelyn set to batter UK as Met Office issues fresh weather warnings

Gusts of up to 70mph are forecast as heavy rain hits London in the wake of deadly Storm Isha

Londoners are braced for more disruption as powerful Storm Jocelyn is set to hit parts of the UK and Ireland on Tuesday, bringing 48 hours of rain and strong wind warnings.

The Met Office has issued a yellow wind warning from 4pm on Tuesday until 1pm on Wednesday for all parts of the UK, excluding the south. An amber wind warning has been issued for western and northern Scotland from 6pm Tuesday until 8am on Wednesday.

Londoners can expect heavy rain by late morning on Tuesday but the capital has dodged any weather warnings. However travel disruption is likely.

It comes after at least two people died when their cars hit trees brought down by Storm Isha which battered Britain with gusts up to 107mph.

Clear Up Begins After Storm Isha
The River Eden burst its banks near Warwick Bridge in Carlisle
Getty Images

And a 26-year-old male BMW driver is in critical condition after two cars collided with a tree on the A1068 Fisher Lane, Cramlington in Northumberland, police said.

The Met Office said: "A spell of strengthening west or southwesterly winds is expected to affect Northern Ireland, north Wales, northern England and Scotland from Tuesday evening, associated with Storm Jocelyn.

"Winds are widely expected to gust to 55-65mph, with a few exposed locations possibly seeing in excess of 70mph, although the greatest likelihood of these is now highlighted with an Amber warning.

"Gusts of 55-65mph are fairly typical for a winter storm across these areas, but following the impacts caused by Storm Isha resilience is expected to be lower and it may also hamper any ongoing recovery and repair efforts."

Road, rail, air and ferry services may be affected by Storm Jocelyn, the Met Office warned, with longer journey times and cancellations possible.

In Scotland there is "a good chance" that power cuts may occur, it added.

Thousands of homes were left without power and a tornado warning was issued on Monday as Isha swept in from the Atlantic. Some parts saw their strongest winds in 10 to 20 years.

The new storm, Jocelyn, will bring further risk of large waves along coastal areas, difficult travelling conditions, fallen trees, and possible damage to power lines and already weakened structures.

The Met Office said: "Storm Jocelyn is forecast to bring strong winds and heavy rain to the UK on Tuesday and into Wednesday."

ScotRail services across Scotland are suspended from 7pm on Tuesday as Storm Jocelyn hits and there will be no rush hour services on Wednesday morning, the railway operator said.

Phil Campbell, ScotRail customer operations director, said: "The heavy wind and ongoing rain hitting most parts of the country mean that it will not be safe for our customers and our staff.

"This is the second withdrawal of train services this week, and we know the impact this has on customers, but the safety of staff and passengers will always be our priority."

London Fire Brigade revealed it was called to more than 100 weather-related incidents in a 12-hour period. They included flooded properties plus scaffolding, roofing and signage “in precarious positions”.

Winter weather Jan 22nd 2024
Police cordon off an area around Portcullis House after debris fell from a building
PA

A spokesman added control officers are prioritising the most urgent calls, posting on X, formerly Twitter: “A yellow weather warning for wind remains in place for London - please only call 999 in an emergency or if there is risk to life.”

An 84-year-old man died during Storm Isha after the car in which he was a front seat passenger crashed into a fallen tree in Grangemouth, Falkirk.

Police Scotland said the incident happened on the A905 Beancross Road at around 11.45pm on Monday during an amber weather warning which covered the whole country.

A man in his 60s was also killed in Limavady, Co Londonderry in a crash involving two vans and a fallen tree as high winds battered Northern Ireland.

The victim was driving a Vauxhall Vivaro van in Broad Road at around 9.45pm on Sunday.

A driver was in critical condition after two cars collided with a tree on a road in Northumberland, police said.

A 26-year-old man who was driving a BMW was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries and remains in a critical condition, while the driver of a Jetta was not injured.

Less serious yellow warnings were issued for wind across much of the UK north of Oxford and Peterborough, and for rain in an area of western Scotland stretching from the border with England to near Inverness.

A Network Rail spokesman “hundreds of engineers” were deployed with chainsaws and cherry pickers to remove debris from tracks.

Most routes in England and Wales were open on Monday but with some residual delays.

The Met Office said the highest recorded wind speed during Storm Isha was 99mph at Brizlee Wood in Northumberland, with gusts of 90mph at Capel Curig in Snowdonia on Sunday.

Heavy downpours battered some places, with 28 flood warnings in place in England and 50 in Scotland.

Winter weather Jan 21st 2024
Commuters in London
PA

The Met Office said Isha – the ninth named storm to hit the UK since the season began in September – moved away from the UK on Monday but conditions remained windy with a mixture of sunny spells and scattered showers.

London commuters faced travel disruption on TfL and national rail services, after Isha blew items onto railway lines and caused damage.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said an incident in Appersett, in Wensleydale, on Sunday evening involved a Ford Mondeo which had become trapped in flood water after the nearby river broke its banks.

A man and a woman in their 20s and a three-year-old girl were rescued from the car.

It said the incident in Morton-on-Swale was just before 5am on Monday and involved the rescue of five people and two dogs from two cars, one van and one HGV.

A spokesman said: “Everyone, including the dogs were brought to a place of safety. Highways closed the road to prevent further incidents.”

He said other incidents attended by firefighters included a metal canopy damaged by high winds at the front of a cafe in Scarborough; a garage roof made unsafe by the storm, also in the seaside town; and a fallen tree blocking a road in Hawes.

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