Storm Bert hits UK in 'multi-hazard weather event' as roads forced to close and trains cancelled

23 November 2024, 08:47 | Updated: 23 November 2024, 09:08

Storm Bert has already sparked travel chaos after hitting the UK, with roads forced to close and trains cancelled in the "multi-hazard weather event".

Amber weather warnings came into force across the north of England and Scotland in the early hours of Saturday, with up to 40cm of snow expected.

Meanwhile, yellow wind, rain and snow warnings covered much of the rest of the UK for Saturday and into Sunday.

Winds of up to 68mph have already been recorded and 13cm of snow has fallen in some parts of the country, a Met Office spokesperson said.

Rail companies have urged passengers to avoid travelling to certain areas and some warned of reduced services while National Highways issued a "severe weather alert" for snow affecting Yorkshire and north-east England between 5am and 3pm on Saturday.

It said "blizzard conditions" were expected and up to five hours of heavy snow is set to "accumulate quickly at all levels".

In Yorkshire, the A628 remained closed overnight in both directions between the A616 Hollingworth and the A57 Flouch due to snow, National Highways announced.

The A66 Trans-Pennine route was closed between the A6 and the M6 (J40).

Read more: Brits brace for Storm Bert: Met Office issues amber weather warning for snow - with up to 40cm set to fall

Read more: Brits warned of travel chaos as Storm Bert to bring snow, heavy rain and flooding

Ferry operator CalMac - which serves the west coast of Scotland - cancelled several sailings on Saturday with disruption expected on many other services.

P&O Ferries said it had cancelled the 4am sailing between Larne in Northern Ireland and Cairnryan in Scotland's south west on Saturday.

The Met Office said Storm Bert was a "multi-hazard event" with "strong winds, some high snowfall accumulation, heavy rain, all in various different parts of the UK".

Meteorologist Aidan McGivern said the storm's arrival was following a "relatively quiet" night on Friday with temperatures at around minus 4C across parts of Scotland and minus 1C in eastern England.

"We'll see two to four hours of heavy snow across parts of northern England and Scotland during Saturday morning," Mr McGivern said.

"This snow will accumulate thick and fast, with five to 10cm at lower levels and as much as 20 to 40cm over hills accompanied by strong winds.

"You can expect blizzards over hills across northern England and Scotland, atrocious conditions for travelling and going over the hills and also the risk of power interruptions because of snow build up on power lines.

"So all in all, a multiple hazard event as we go into Saturday morning."

He said temperatures will rise quickly as the storm brings with it milder air from the Atlantic, resulting in a "rapid thaw" by the afternoon.

"The melting snow and the heavy rain could lead to localised flooding in places but the wettest spots would be Wales, in the South West, particularly over south-facing hills, that's where we're likely to see gales and certainly the risk of impacts from wind as well as from rain," the meteorologist said.

As of Saturday morning, there were 13 flood alerts in place across the UK.

Wales and the South West are at risk of seeing 75mm of rain widely, and potentially more than 100mm over the higher parts of South Wales and Dartmoor.

Strong winds are expected to strike the southern coast with gusts of more than 70mph in places.

Wind warnings cover Scotland from 5am until 7pm on Saturday.