The UK is bracing for its second storm in just two days, with 80mph winds and heavy rain expected to cause ‘widespread travel disruption’ and power cuts.
An amber weather warning is in place today across Scotland, the north of England down to Carlisle and the north-east of Northern Ireland.
Meanwhile, a large yellow warning for very wet and windy weather stretches across the whole of the UK’s north from midday until 9pm.
Widespread travel disruption is expected to ferries and trains with TransPennine Express warning against all but essential train journeys on Saturday and Sunday.
Avanti West Coast has also strongly advised customers not to travel north of Preston tomorrow.
Storm Boelo, the second named storm of the season, follows Storm Austen which battered Cornwall and other parts of the South West yesterday.
More than 3,700 homes in the region were without electricity this morning, according to the National Grid map.
This came after the electricity company on Friday night confirmed that engineers had restored power to more than 60,000 homes since the storm began.
Yesterday’s storm also forced a number of schools to close and destroyed a section of Brighton‘s iconic West Pier.
Beach huts in Swanage, Dorset, were destroyed in wet and windy weather caused by Storm Austen yesterday
Waves crash over the lighthouse at Newhaven Harbour during Storm Austen
A large sycamore tree which came down in Storm Austen crashed into a brand new £40,000 van outside a disabled woman’s home in Bournemouth
People use umbrellas to shelter from the rain during stormy weather in London
A house in Wimbledon is silhouetted against a fiery orange and red autumn sunrise the morning after Storm Austen
Footage showed one side of the landmark, which opened in 1866 and attracted two million visitors a year in its heyday, falling into the water as it was hit by large waves.
Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said: ‘Yesterday’s Storm Austen affected the far south of the UK and northern France and the Channel Islands, whereas today’s Storm Boelo will be affecting the north of the UK.
‘We have an amber wind warning in place across Scotland later today and through tonight and into the end of Sunday.
‘With the strong winds, potentially gusts exceeding 80 miles per hour locally, there will be some widespread travel disruption across Scotland, possibly northern parts of Northern Ireland and the far north of England as well through the next 24 to 36 hours.
‘I’m expecting delays to ferry services, if not cancellations, perhaps some quite widespread impacts to travel on the railways and on the roads as well.’
Conditions are expected to stay ‘very wet and windy’ across the UK today, but much of England and Wales will be able to look forward to a brighter and sunnier picture on Sunday.
Mr Morgan added that ‘we do need the rain desperately’, particularly in the south of the UK which faced the brunt of the ‘severe drought’ this summer.
Storm Boelo’s winds are expected to peak from this evening.
The wet weather will then clear overnight for many while more rain hits Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Rainfall totals will build up in those areas and may reach more than 100mm in a day on higher ground in Scotland.
One side of Brighton’s historic West Pier falls into the water today as it is hit by large waves
An amber weather warning is in place today across Scotland, the north of England down to Carlisle and the north-east of Northern Ireland
A damaged car after a tree was brought down by a heavy gust of wind in Richmond, west London
Road closure caused by fallen trees on the A39 between Falmouth and Truro in Cornwall on Friday
Two people walking in the rain along Victoria Embankment in London
The Prime Minister warned on Friday that the UK could face ‘a winter of greater flooding’ and said we are living in a world where ‘unexpected events’ are ‘more and more common’.
Andy Burnham denied the suggestion that the Government is playing catch-up with civil preparedness as he attended a summit organised to learn from the summer’s record wildfires.
He said: ‘We are having that conversation about resilience. That’s why we’re holding this summit today, it’s why we’re putting the guidance out to the public.
‘We potentially are facing a winter of greater flooding, so it’s about recognising all of those risks and taking action.’
The predictions of strong winds in Scotland have led to some rail lines being closed.
Network Rail has announced that services south and west of Kilwinning in North Ayrshire will stop from 9pm on Saturday.
Meanwhile, further north the Oban and Mallaig lines will close from about 10pm tonight.
Craig Gorman, head of operational weather strategy at Network Rail Scotland, said: ‘We know closing lines and slowing trains will have a significant impact on people’s plans this weekend, and these aren’t decisions we take lightly.
‘But when we’re facing weather of this scale, we have to put safety first and make sensible calls before conditions deteriorate.’
Amy Webb, chief operating officer at National Grid Electricity Distribution, added: ‘We know how difficult it is to be without power, particularly during severe weather.
‘Our engineers are out across the affected areas, working to repair the damage and get customers back on supply as quickly and safely as possible. We’re grateful for their patience while that work continues.
‘If you see a fallen power line, damaged pole or other damage to our equipment, please stay well clear and call 105 straight away.’
