Storm Agnes brings 70mph gusts and heavy rain to Britain and Ireland
Gusts of up to 70mph have been recorded as the first named storm of the autumn, Agnes, sweeps across Britain and Ireland.
The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings covering parts of the south-west and north of England and much of Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, where strong winds and heavy rain are expected on Wednesday and into Thursday.
It said there could be winds of up to 80mph in coastal areas and up to 60mph inland. By noon on Wednesday gusts of 65-70mph had been recorded in south-west Ireland, with Agnes tracking north-west.
🛰️ The swirl of cloud associated with #StormAgnes can be seen from space
— Met Office (@metoffice) September 27, 2023
🌬️ Gusts of 65-70 mph have already been recorded in southwest Ireland
⚠️ Strong winds are expected to affect much of the UK as the storm tracks northeastwards this afternoon pic.twitter.com/na4QMCZwOA
The Met Office said flooding could be expected in some places and warned there could be danger to life from flying debris and falling trees.
It anticipated some power cuts and said mobile phone services could go down. Road, rail, air and ferry services could be affected and some roads and bridges were likely to close. The weather service added that there was “a small chance” of injuries and danger to life from large waves and beach material being thrown on to sea fronts, coastal roads and properties.
The Met Office asked people to secure outdoor furniture, fasten windows and doors tight, check fences and roof tiles are secure and clear guttering of leaves and other debris.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) advised people to stay away from stormy seas and cliff edges.
RNLI water safety partner, Sam Hughes, said: “It is not worth risking your life. If you see someone else in danger in the water, call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard. If you have something that floats that they can hold on to, throw it to them. Don’t go in the water yourself – you may end up in difficulty too.”
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#StormAgnes is set to hit the UK and Ireland this week. If you’re at the coast, stay back from stormy seas and cliff edges, check the weather forecast and tide times and take a phone with you. If you see someone in danger in the water, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard. pic.twitter.com/qOk2mGkZLR
— RNLI (@RNLI) September 27, 2023
The Environment Agency put in place five flood alerts in England, meaning flooding is possible, along the north Devon and north Cornwall coasts, the Mersey estuary at Warrington and the Upper River Derwent in the Lake District.
The storm was named after a deep area of low pressure developed in the Atlantic, boosted by energy from tropical storm Ophelia that hit the north-east coast of the US over the weekend.
The Met Office predicted it will remain drier across south-east England, where sunny spells were predicted.