Storm Debi disrupts travel

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

The Met Office alerts come. Debi, the fourth named storm of the season, caused power cuts and travel disruption in some places.

Gusts of over 70mph (112.7km/h) have been recorded in Wales and Northern Ireland.

There is also a possible danger to life from flying debris and large waves.

The rain and wind first hit Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, then Wales.

It all heppened before moving eastwards and into the North Sea on Monday evening.

In Northern Ireland, Storm Debi caused road closures and some disruption to the public transport network.

NIE Networks said about 3,000 customers were without power, mainly around Craigavon, Newry and Downpatrick.

Gusts of up to 77mph battered parts of the Welsh coast. It all happened after a yellow weather warning across north, mid and west Wales.

Killowen, Northern Ireland recorded winds of 74mph and 68mph on the Isle of Man Winds.

A Met Office amber wind warning means a potential risk to life and property was in place for parts of south-west Northern Ireland in the morning.

The warning remained until 16:00 in parts of north-west England, including Cumbria, Lancashire and Merseyside.

Yellow weather warnings for wind were also in place for much of northern England and Wales until 18:00.

Met Office extended tgis until 21:00 for much of the north of England, including Lincoln, Sheffield and Manchester up to Carlisle and Newcastle.

A yellow warning for rain until 21:00 has also been issued for parts of north-east Scotland.

Storm Babet battered these parts last month, including Inverness, and Brechin in Angus.

Hundreds of homes had to be evacuated after the river South Esk breached its banks.

Storm Debi developed in the Republic of Ireland, where red weather warnings were in place earlier.

About 100,000 homes and businesses have lost power, the number may rise.

The Met Office said severe weather could lead to the flooding of homes and businesses with possible fast-flowing or deep floodwater causing a danger to life.

Spray and flooding could also lead to difficult travel conditions, with some road and bridge closures, and disruption to rail, air and ferry services.

The Met Office said mobile phone coverage may face disturbance, injuries and danger to life could occur from large waves.

These may occur as people throw beach material onto sea fronts, coastal and road properties.

British Airways said it had to make a small number of cancellations due to the bad weather. There is a reduction in the number of flights air traffic controllers will allow to land per hour.

There may more unsettled weather on Tuesday morning with a yellow warning for thunderstorms in place for the south of England.

The latest storm comes after Storm Ciarán caused flooding and disruption across the Channel Islands and southern England.

Another recent storm, Babet, flooded nearly 600 properties in Lincolnshire.

Experts say a warming atmosphere increases the chance of intense rainfall and storms.

However, many factors contribute to extreme weather and it takes time for scientists to calculate how much impact climate change has had on particular events- if any.

The world has already warmed by about 1.1C since the industrial era began and temperatures will keep rising unless governments around the world make steep cuts to emissions.

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