A so-called "weather bomb" hit the UK today bringing 80mph winds and huge coastal waves
- 285 lightning strikes over Scotland
- Pensioner dies as heater explodes
- Winds of 81mph recorded in Argyll
- Send us your weather photos and videos via email at webnews@trinitymirror.co.uk
7:32 am
The UK is bracing itself for severe gales today as the country is hit by a so-called "weather bomb".
The process behind the storm - rapid cyclogenesis - is a deep low pressure system moving between Scotland and Iceland.
There are widespread weather warnings in place, with 80mph winds and huge coastal waves predicted for some areas.
There is an amber "be prepared" weather warning in place for the west coast of Scotland, the Highlands and Islands and Northern Ireland, and a yellow "be aware" warning has been issued for northern parts of England and Wales.
The public have been warned to expect dangerous conditions, especially along causeways and coastal roads exposed to the west.
The process behind the storm - rapid cyclogenesis - is a deep low pressure system moving between Scotland and Iceland.
There are widespread weather warnings in place, with 80mph winds and huge coastal waves predicted for some areas.
There is an amber "be prepared" weather warning in place for the west coast of Scotland, the Highlands and Islands and Northern Ireland, and a yellow "be aware" warning has been issued for northern parts of England and Wales.
The public have been warned to expect dangerous conditions, especially along causeways and coastal roads exposed to the west.
8:03 am
Thousands without power in the Western Isles
The effects of the huge storm are already being felt, with more than
17,000 people in the Western Isles left without power this morning.The whole of the Western Isles suffered a power outage just before 7am today.
Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution said its engineers were working to restore supplies.
8:09 am
Rescue operation launched to help stricken fishermen
A rescue operation has been launched to help a Spanish fishing vessel in difficulties off Orkney.Shetland Coastguard said the coastguard rescue helicopter and Stromness Lifeboat had been sent to the scene.
Fifteen flood warnings and 12 flood alerts have been issued by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa).
Several ferry and train services have also been cancelled while some bridges have been closed due to high winds in Scotland
8:26 am
So, what is a weather bomb exactly?
It's actually called rapid cyclogenesis, but the term 'weather bomb' is much more catchy.
It is caused by a deep low pressure system moving between Scotland and Iceland.
The dramatic image below, from Magicseaweed.com, shows a gigantic sea swell making its steady way towards Britain - bringing with it a risk of very large waves in coastal regions.
It looks set to bring hurricane-force winds ahead of what could be the worst British winter in a century.
MAGICSEAWEED
8:32 am
Travel disruption expected in Scotland
Police are warning that travel conditions in the worst-hit areas of
Scotland could be "hazardous", with disruption expected on ferries, rail
services, roads and bridges.People have been warned to expect dangerous conditions, especially along causeways and coastal roads exposed to the west, with gusts of 70mph already being recorded on the Forth and Tay road bridges.
Many ferry services operated by Caledonian MacBrayne, which operates in the west of Scotland, have been cancelled or disrupted, while the Argyll Ferries service between Gourock and Dunoon has been suspended.
There were also disruptions and cancellations on NorthLink Ferries services between Orkney, Shetland and the mainland, while P&O ferries said its Larne and Cairnryan sailings were operating with delays of up to at least two hours, with further disruption expected throughout the day.
Several train services will be cancelled as a safety precaution, Network Rail and train operator ScotRail announced.
On the roads the Skye Bridge and Forth Road Bridge were closed to high-sided vehicles while the Tay Bridge was only open to cars.
Western Isles Council said all its schools and nurseries will be closed as police have advised the public not to travel unless it is absolutely necessary.
8:38 am
What sort of damage is expected
Forecasters fear the storms developing in the Atlantic could uproot trees, tear tiles off roofs and knock out power supplies.Wind speeds could hit 80mph and temperatures in some areas of the north may plunge to -9°C.
The Met Office warnings for wind run through today and into tomorrow morning, extending by that stage to cover the whole of the UK.
Councils south of the border insisted they are prepared for the plunge in temperatures, with gritters "out in force" and depots filled with about 1.3 million tonnes of salt.
Potential temperature in the north
-9°C
8:46 am
Hashtags to watch today
Obviously #weatherbomb is going to see some serious action today.You may see a little from #blackwednesday too.
But with much of the disruption expected in Scotland, #scotstorm may be the underdog that surprises for pics of umbrellas blowing inside out.
8:54 am
Big waves
Getty Images
The super-sized waves were more than twice the height of a double decker bus and nearly double the height of a typical two-storey house.
They were recorded at noon in the North Atlantic by a buoy called K5, which gathers data on the movement of the sea.
In 2011 waves of 48.22ft were recorded and in 2012 46.9ft - but in 2007 a wave of over 57ft was logged.
The information is monitored by organisations such as the Met Office.
The image here was taken on Seaview Road in Saltcoats, Scotland, yesterday
9:11 am
The storm seen from above
Why is Scotland, Northern Ireland and the north of England going to get the worst of it?
This is why.
This satellite video from google Earth shows the direction of the weather system, swirling in from the west from Greenland.
The tail of the storm will tickle the north of France and Scandinavia
9:30 am
Storm heads south towards the weekend
The severity is expected to reduce slightly tomorrow as the front moves south.
However, on Friday it will be the south of England and Wales that sees the biggest change in conditions.
"We're expecting a period of strong winds that will affect southern central England and all of Wales and these will bring eavy rain on Friday morning," forecasts Ross Melville of the Met Office.
He says it also brings the possibility of "snow at all levels" across Scotland.
10:09 am
Wind speeds
The highest winds recorded so far today are 77mph.That speed was caught at two sites in Scotland at 5am this morning.
Islay, in Port Ellen, Argyll, and South Uist Range in the Western Isles were the two spots blowing up a storm.
10:19 am
If you thought #weatherbomb sounds bad, spare a thought for the folk of Pittstown and Albany in New York.
American forecasters are reporting #Thundersnow right now.
The hashtag sounds self-explanatory, but THUNDER SNOW!? That sounds pretty bad, right?
Let's hope Kate Middleton and Prince William - and their fat-pocketed guests - can hang onto their royal hats as their tour of NYC climaxes with a big fundraising event for St Andrews University.
American forecasters are reporting #Thundersnow right now.
The hashtag sounds self-explanatory, but THUNDER SNOW!? That sounds pretty bad, right?
Let's hope Kate Middleton and Prince William - and their fat-pocketed guests - can hang onto their royal hats as their tour of NYC climaxes with a big fundraising event for St Andrews University.
10:59 am
Choppy waters in North Wales
Ferry cancellations have been put in place in North Wales under warnings of strong winds.Irish Ferries cancelled their fastcraft sailings from Holyhead to Dublin, but the firm’s cruise ferries are operating to schedule. Stena Line sailings are also operating to time.
There is one flood alert in force for the Conwy Valley.
11:11 am
Strong sun warnings
It seems unlikely but fire chiefs have warned strong sun has caused
three freak fires in the last two days - one in Oxfordshire, one in
Bath, the third near Bristol.In all cases the fires were sparked by sunlight reflecting off a mirror.
A fire brigade spokesman said: "It does show that even at this time of year, the sun can be strong enough to cause trouble if its rays are reflected.
"People should try not to place mirrors in direct sunlight where the rays can be reflected on to clothes, cushions, curtains or bedding."
11:37 am
Take care of your pets in bad weather
Getty
- Keep animals indoors - short-haired pets will benefit from a warm jumper or coat on walks.
- Don't allow your cat to roam freely outdoors - cats can climb under car bonnets to be near warm engines and get badly injured or killed.
- Give pets more food because they burn more calories trying to keep warm.
- Take car with antifreeze, which can be deadly. It attracts animals because of its sweet taste. Always store it where animals can't get to it.
11:39 am
Wind update!
SWNS
That's a 2mph increase on the previous highest speed of the day - 79mph at the South Uist Range in the Western Isles - and 5mph up on Argyll's previous highest, which was recoded at 5am this morning.
That's over the max of 80mph forecast by the met Office and it suggests the winds are getting worse as the day progresses.
It also suggest that if you are in Argyll you may want to think about staying indoors!
11:58 am
Pensioner dies as heater explodes
A pensioner has died after a heater exploded in his home as he tried to stay warm in the cold weather.The man, aged 70, suffered severe burns when his paraffin heater exploded in the blast at his home in Knighton, Mid Wales.
He was airlifted to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham but he died later.
Police have not named the man but they have confirmed there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.
An examination into the heater will take place before an inquest will be held.
12:13 pm
Famous 'Weather bombs'
“Infamous examples of ‘weather bombs’ include the storm that wreaked havoc during the August 1979 Fastnet yacht race in the Irish Sea, claiming the lives of 15 competitors,' said Dr Steven Godby, an expert in natural hazards at Nottingham Trent University.
"(It also includes) the 1991 "Perfect Storm" off the north east coast of the United States, which was the inspiration for the novel and film that told the story of the sinking of the fishing vessel Andrea Gail.”
12:40 pm
Bomb defused?
A Met Office blog has delved deeper into the phenomenon of the
'Weather bomb' and reveals that we are on the circumference of any
'explosion' ripples.The blog states: "It’s important to stress the UK is not being ‘hit’ by a weather bomb – the track of the low pressure system is well to the north of the UK, on roughly the same latitude as Iceland. We’re feeling its influence remotely.
"Another point is that the ‘bomb’ element, the rapid deepening of the low pressure as explained below, happened on Monday – and its now just like any other powerful Atlantic low. In fact, the weather we’ll experience today is nothing unusual for the time of year."
You can read more about it here
12:53 pm
House wall collapses
The gable end of a house in Northumberland has collapsed into the kitchen of another house.Firefighters were called to Ovingham and local reports suggest a woman who was in the kitchen at the time had a lucky escape.
Also in the North East, around 2,800 homes were left in the dark for an hour after a fallen tree cut off power supplies in County Durham from 5.30am to 6.45am.
Twenty-four of those homes were without power for several hours and Northern Powergrid engineers hope to fix the problem by 2pm.
1:16 pm
Snow forecast for Teesside
A severe weather warning for snow and ice has been put in place for Teesside - with up to 10cm predicted on higher ground.The Met Office alert - for Friday - says: “This will bring rain to many areas but snow is likely over some of the higher ground, such as the Pennines and Southern Uplands, and rain may turn to snow at lower levels before it clears eastwards.
“The snow may be heavy in places, possibly giving 2 to 5cm at low levels and maybe 10cm or more above around 200m.
“Following clearance, there is also the risk of widespread ice on untreated surfaces in time for the morning rush hour," reports The Gazette.
1:28 pm
Lightning doesn't just strike twice
sat24.com
"For this time of year that is a high figure - it's not your standard thunderstorm and worthy of note," said Ian Michaelwaite, director of forecasters Netweather.
"The winds should peak this afternoon and ebb away by Thursday lunchtime in the north, although there is a secondary front that could bring severe gales to the south on Thursday and Friday morning.
The graphic above shows lightning hotspots around Europe. Lightning is more usually associated with hot weather rather than cold weather, which explains is why North Africa is seeing similar levels of activity.
"People would get excited about this number of strike on a summers day, let alone a winter's one," said Mr Michaelwaite
1:49 pm
Stay safe out there!
Getty
However, we don't want you putting yourself at risk to get them.
The brave snappper above looks to be a few feet from a real soaking as the sea rages behind a clearly insufficient wall at Portrush in Northern Ireland.
Below, giant waves hit the lighthouse wall in Whitehaven.
PA
3:40 pm
Dramatic rescue from flooded river
Rob Plews
The driver was forced to clamber out of his vehicle's window before being pulled to the shore by emergency services, amid fears that the vehicle would be washed away entirely in the rising river.
Witness Robert Plews said: "The chap had tried to drive across the ford where the water was about 2ft deep, but he was swept away into the ford itself."
Watch the video and get the full story here.
4:17 pm
The lights are back on - but only in some houses
PA
Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution (SHEPD) said it has 500 engineers working to restore supplies to the affected residents, although repairs are taking longer than usual due to the nature and complexity of the damage to the network in some areas.
Earlier today, the entire Western Isles were left without power, while some customers in Orkney and Skye were also affected.
The Met Office has issued an amber "be prepared" warning for the west coast of Scotland, the Highlands and Islands, Orkney, Shetland and Northern Ireland.
4:17 pm
The lights are back on - but only in some houses
PA
Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution (SHEPD) said it has 500 engineers working to restore supplies to the affected residents, although repairs are taking longer than usual due to the nature and complexity of the damage to the network in some areas.
Earlier today, the entire Western Isles were left without power, while some customers in Orkney and Skye were also affected.
The Met Office has issued an amber "be prepared" warning for the west coast of Scotland, the Highlands and Islands, Orkney, Shetland and Northern Ireland.
4:19 pm
Those Spanish fishermen are safe
A fishing vessel which issued a Mayday call early this morning after
it was hit by a wave that smashed windows on the bridge has been
escorted to safety.The Shetland Coastguard rescue helicopter and Stromness Lifeboat were sent to the scene off Orkney.
The British-registered vessel O Genita, which has a Spanish crew, was escorted to Westray in Orkney by the lifeboat, arriving just before 11.30am.
None of the 16 crew are thought to be injured.
4:25 pm
How's the political weather?
SWNS
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Deputy First Minister John Swinney took a meeting of the Scottish Government's resilience committee.
Mr Swinney said: "The government has been working closely with the power companies and with transport providers to make sure that normal service is delivered as much as we possibly can do.
"We've had some significant power outages in different parts of the country, and the power companies have been trying to restore those as quickly as is possible and keeping the government informed about the progress that has been made.
"Obviously there has been transport disruption, principally on the ferry network and also on some of the coastal rail services where it's just been unsafe to run trains because of the dangers of the coastal flooding that could have taken place."
4:31 pm
The situation across the water
PA
Benone beach at Magilligan, Co Derry has been closed to the public due to the dangerous conditions.
On the nearby Portstewart Strand two people were fortunate to escape uninjured when they were washed off their feet by the force of the waves.
Ferry travel has been heavily disrupted with a number of sailings to Scotland either cancelled or delayed.
The Met Office has issued an amber warning for the northern coast of Northern Ireland , with westerly winds between 70-80 mph forecast. A warning has also been issued over the likelihood of "exceptionally high waves" and a risk of coastal flooding tonight.
4:44 pm
Wave watch
There's been a bit of chat today about wave heights around the country.The largest confirmed waves yesterday were measured at 47 ft off the Outer Hebrides - though some reports have suggested today that there has been 57ft swell.
But it's not bad news if you are a surfer or a wave watcher.
The dudes at PledgeSports reckon they are watching 60ft+ waves at Mullaghmore in Sligo.
4:54 pm
Boy, oh buoy
The water-watchers at magicseaweed.com have charted the rising sea levels at the K5 buoy off the coast of the Outer Hebridies.
Check out the sweet chart 'n' graph action at noon!
5:40 pm
All ferries between Cairnryan and Belfast cancelled
It happened as the vessel was coming in to dock this morning and the ship remaining moored at the port for an inspection to be carried out.
Stena Line said there were no injuries and all passengers and crew disembarked as normal.
In a statement, it said: "As a result of the ongoing inspection of the ship, port facility and deteriorating weather conditions, all sailings from Belfast and Cairnryan have been cancelled until at least 7.30pm tomorrow."
6:20 pm
Winds hit 144MPH on St Kilda - one of the highest speeds ever recorded
Wind speeds of 144mph were recorded on the uninhabited archipelago of
St Kilda, the remotest part of the British Isles which lies 41 miles
west of Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides.It was granted World Heritage status in 1986 and is in the care of the National Trust for Scotland who said the wind speed was recorded at the top of the hill on Hirta, the largest of St Kilda's islands.
The Met Office said the highest recorded wind speed at low level sites was 81mph on Tiree, followed by 79mph for South Uist.
It said off-shore buoys off the north west coast of the UK had registered waves of up to 15.6 metres.
7:03 pm
Hold on to your hats
Getty
Neil Sharrock was nearly blown out to sea while walking his dog Tedalong the beach in Blackpool.
High winds and large waves hit much of the North West coast of England and Northern Ireland.
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