Storm Ciara has claimed its third victim after a falling tree branch killed a dog walker in his sixties this morning – and now the country braces itself for ‘Storm Dennis’.
The storm is said to be on a collision course with the UK and expected to hit Saturday, but not before more snow and ice chaos is expected this week.
Heavy snow fell in some regions after the bad weather disrupted flights, ferries and trains throughout Britain yesterday, while gusts swept across the country felling trees and causing chaos on the roads.
Storm Ciara has moved eastwards from the UK, but it will leave mass white-outs in its wake up and down the country as the Met Office issued fresh snow warnings for today.
The Met Office has issued a warning over the next named storm, Storm Dennis, which a spokesman said is not expected to be as extreme as Storm Ciara but will bring widespread strong winds and heavy rain this weekend.
The effects of Storm Ciara, that hit the UK at the weekend leaving more than 20,000 homes without power overnight, was felt by commuters this morning who encountered further delays.
Snow covered houses in Princetown on the top of Dartmoor, Devon, where snow has fallen on high ground
A Royal Mail worker attempts to push a stuck delivery van up a snow covered road in Nenthead, Cumbria
The powerful storm has also claimed three victims after a falling tree killed a 58-year-old Mercedes driver and a 77-year-old man fell over and banged his head on ice.
And today, a dog walker in his sixties was killed after being hit by a falling tree in Black Wood, Liverpool.
His family, who laid flowers at the scene this evening, were too upset to comment and he has not yet been identified.
Pensioner Elizabeth Sorsky, 79, who has lived on a street overlooking the park for 26 years, said: ‘A lady down the road said a woman ran out of the woods outside saying a man had been hit by a tree.
Emergency services attend a scene in Woolton Woods, Liverpool, where a dog walker in his sixties was hit by a falling tree branch this morning. He was later pronounced dead
The dog walker’s family, who laid flowers at the scene this evening, were too upset to comment and he has not yet been identified
Emergency workers are pictured at the scene where a dog walker was killed after being hit by a falling tree in Black Wood, Liverpool
‘Another neighbour went to check his pulse and found he had no pulse and was dead.
‘We have been on about the trees for a long time – we have sent letter after letter and have complained and complained and complained to the council.
‘These trees could fall on our house – it’s horrendous.
‘And now a man who went out for a walk in the morning has died. It’s horrendous – the dog was still waiting for him.
The weather forecast for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Tuesday is expected to be another day of wintry weather for most of the country
‘Maybe now the local authorities will pull their finger out and do something.
‘The trees are so close to the road that they could fall on school children going to the local school.’
A spokesman for Merseyside Police also confirmed to local media the man’s loyal dog was still at his side when police and paramedics arrived at the scene.
Dramatic footage from Blackpool today showed violent waves crashing to shore as gale force winds battered the Lancashire coastline at one of Britain’s most iconic seaside resorts.
The forecaster has warned that treacherous icy conditions will sweep across the Midlands, parts of the northeast, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
A yellow warning for heavy snow and strong winds is in place for Northern Ireland and most of Scotland, while a yellow warning of snow and ice is in force for north-west England today.
A jogger runs through snow near the village of Lees in Greater Manchester this morning, as cold weather hit the North of England today
A walker crosses the moors near Princetown on the top of Dartmoor, Devon, where snow has fallen on high ground today
A huge wave was seen crashing in front of Blackpool Tower today and the pier as the area continued to be hit by Storm Ciara
There is also a yellow snow and ice warning covering these regions on Wednesday, as snow showers and icy stretches could cause further disruption.
A yellow weather warning has been put in place for much of England and Wales on Saturday, with gusts of more than 50mph forecast and heavy rain bringing a further risk of flooding.
A statement said: ‘Storm Dennis is expected to bring a range of impacts, including delays and cancellations to transport services, damage to power supplies and large coastal waves.’
Steve Ramsdale, chief meteorologist at the Met Office, added: ‘Another spell of very wet and windy weather is expected for Saturday, although Storm Dennis is currently not expected to be as severe as Ciara disruption is still likely.
‘Our confidence in the forecast means we have been able to issue severe weather warnings well in advance, giving people time to prepare for potential impacts of the storm.’
The A1 is currently northbound after a portcabin fell off a lorry this morning. Significant delays are expected for motorists
A van driver has came off the road near Alston in County Durham as severe weather of high winds snow and ice hits the North of England today
A woman makes her way through flood water as the waters of the River Ouse passing through York breach the river banks today
Emergency services scrambled to the scene in Clydebank, West Dumbartonshire at around 11am yesterday after 77-year-old pensioner fell over and banged his head in icy conditions, but they were unable to save him.
A 58-year-old Mercedes driver died in the storm in Hampshire on Sunday. The victim was driving from Winchester to his home in Micheldever, when the tree came down on top of his car at around 4pm.
Wind speeds in the area reached 60mph at the time of the incident and the man was declared dead at the scene.
Businesses clearing up after the second bout of serious flooding in four years have joined MPs in calling for more help for inundated areas.
This is while in Blackpool giant waves were seen smashing into the promenade, a popular spot for holidaymakers in the summer, and spilling over on to the flooded walkway.
Temperatures at the resort were around 5 degrees today, however, according to the Met Office, the gale force wind made it feel more like -2.
A man views large waves as they hit the harbour wall at Newhaven this afternoon. He was prepared for the weather though and can be seen looking at the wave wearing his waterproof hood
Only yesterday a video emerged of a youngster being blown from their pram, along a pavement and into the road close to Blackpool promenade.
Elsewhere and hundreds of householders and small business owners across England and Wales were spending Tuesday gutting their premises after water more than 4ft (1.2m) deep in places surged through towns and villages on Sunday.
The clean-up operation was continuing in freezing conditions as rain and wind gave way to hazardous amounts of snow and ice across the UK.
Anger in drenched villages like Mytholmroyd, near Halifax in West Yorkshire, mounted as MPs queued up in the Commons to demanded reassurances that the same fate would not reoccur in coming months and years.
Tory MP Philip Davies branded it ‘completely unacceptable’ that many of his constituents in Shipley, West Yorkshire, flooded during Storm Ciara were also victims of the 2015 Boxing Day floods.
Mr Davies told Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers on Monday: ‘Many of my constituents who were flooded over the weekend are exactly the same people who were flooded on Boxing Day in 2015, which really is completely unacceptable.
‘Can she assure me that the flood defence programme that the Government has in place will ensure that my constituents in Shipley won’t have to suffer this fate yet again?’
Brightlingsea floods, Tuesday. Many beach huts were displaced after the storm tide yesterday, with another storm surge tide today
Water had surrounded the Brightlingsea area and some beach huts were left displaced due to the poor weather conditions which have struck much of the country
A building site upgrading flood defences is flooded as the waters of the River Ouse passing through York breach the river banks as water levels rise today
Snow covered houses in Princetown on the top of Dartmoor, Devon, where snow has fallen on high ground today
Halifax’s Labour MP Holly Lynch said there was a ‘sense of absolute devastation’ that ‘for so many residents we are in the same position again having flooded in 2015’ as she reeled off a list of those affected locally including 400 residential properties, 400 businesses, eight schools and two care homes, as well as two damaged bridges.
The streets of Mytholmroyd were inundated by 4ft (1.2m) of water on Sunday.
Cafe owner Lisa Thwaites described how she found herself thigh-deep in water in just 10 minutes and ended up climbing over the back wall of her property to escape the flood as she desperately tried to save furniture and stock.
Ms Thwaites, who has run the Blue Teapot for six months, said: ‘I’ve got to get the business back up and running. I’ve got no choice.
‘I gave up a good corporate job to do this and it was my dream to open a cafe.
A snow plow clears a road in Nenthead, Cumbria. The scene looks post card perfect and the snow blanketed the area
Social media user Craig Bloodworth tweeted out pictures this morning of the flooding that has hit York after water levels rose in the River Ouse
The high street in Princetown on the top of Dartmoor, Devon, where snow has fallen on high ground today. Further ice and snow is expected throughout the country today
The Met office has warned of treacherous icy conditions sweeping across the country on Tuesday (left) and Wednesday (right)
‘Now it’s worth nothing but I’ve no choice but to get it going again.’
Ms Thwaites said: ‘People have been amazing, ringing me up and offering money. I’m not comfortable with that but I might have to take it.’
After the December 2015 floods, a £30 million flood prevention scheme was begun in Mytholmroyd, which is due for completion in the summer.
Ms Thwaites said there was concern that some of Sunday’s inundation came through gaps left in the flood wall due to the construction work.
She also said that water cascaded off the surrounding hillside and became trapped on the village side of the flood barrier, leaving the water on the main road higher than in the River Calder.
The clear-up operation continued as the rain and wind from Storm Ciara gave way to snow and ice across the country.
Heavy snow fell in some regions after the storm disrupted flights, ferries and trains throughout Britain and the Republic of Ireland.
A yellow weather warning for snow was issued for parts of the Midlands and eastern England, and snow began to fall across the north Midlands and the south Pennines on Monday afternoon.
Shocking footage posted online yesterday showed a huge tree landing on two parked cars on a street in west London.
Pictures from yesterday afternoon captured an emergency rescue team who were called out to save passengers trapped inside a BMW and a Subaru after their vehicles were completely submerged by flood water in West Mersea, Essex.
Fights broke out at Gatwick Airport yesterday and young children were forced to sleep on the floor as airlines axed flights due to the worsening weather.
Passengers at the country’s second largest airport took to social media to complain about lengthy delays, scuffles and children reportedly sleeping on the floor, with holiday firm TUI coming in for criticism.
Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said: ‘While Storm Ciara is clearing away, that doesn’t mean we’re entering a quieter period of weather. It’s going to stay very unsettled.
‘We have got colder air coming through the UK and will be feeling a real drop in temperatures, with an increased risk of snow in northern parts of the UK and likely in Scotland. ‘There could be up to 20cm on Monday and Tuesday and with strong winds, blizzards aren’t out of the question.’
The weather chaos also saw lightning strike a house in Helleur Close in Par, Cornwall, yesterday causing damage to two properties.
Firefighters and paramedics rushed to the incident, where residents said they heard ‘an almighty bang’ before electrics were blown in the whole street.
Electric sockets blew up and the internet went down in the whole area.
The emergency services said that no one was seriously hurt, but one resident said there had been a ‘hell of a bang’, Cornwall Live reports.
Following the death of the 58-year-old man from Winchester today, a Hampshire Police spokesman said: ‘We are investigating after a tree fell onto a car on the A33 during the storm on Sunday (February 9) and killed a man.
‘The 58-year-old man, from Micheldever, was driving his Mercedes from Winchester to Micheldever when the tree fell just before 4pm.’
Commuters faced a tough day of travel with train services suffering delays and cancellations as repairs are made to the railway following damage caused by the extreme weather.
The West Coast Main Line is suspended between Carlisle and Glasgow due to flooding at Caldew Viaduct, Cumbria.
Rail replacement buses had been deployed but passengers are being warned they will be ‘extremely busy’.
A Network Rail spokesman said thousands of its engineers ‘battled horrendous conditions’ throughout Sunday and overnight into Monday in a bid to clear tracks and repair damage.
Speed restrictions exist on several routes, meaning journeys are taking longer than normal and frequencies are reduced.
Among the operators affected are Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, Great Western Railway, LNER, Northern, ScotRail and South Western Railway.
Airlines operating to and from UK airports continue to be affected by the weather conditions, with more than 100 flights cancelled.
British Airways and easyJet appeared to be the worst affected, although several other airlines were also hit.
By 11am, some 33 of Heathrow’s Monday departures were cancelled – equivalent to 5% of flights – and a further 82 were delayed by at least 15 minutes.
A man smiling on his morning constitutional in the village of Nenthead in Cumbria , as severe weather of high winds snow and ice hits the North of England
Queuing traffic on roads affected after the Queensferry Crossing was closed for the first time since it opened in 2017
A Royal Mail worker delivers post in the snow in Nenthead, Cumbria. Snow and ice has hit a number of parts of the country today
A huge floating island of rubbish has washed up in Salford Quays after Storm Ciara battered the region.Experts said the disgusting pile-up emerged due to heavy rain and five rivers and canals draining into the Quays
British Airways said ‘safety is at the heart of everything we do’ and stressed that the airline is ‘carefully assessing every flight’.
It added: ‘We are sorry for the disruption to your travel plans and are doing all we can to get you to your destination as quickly as we can.’
Passengers due to travel on domestic and European flights on Monday were able to re-book to an alternative date.
Another man has died in an accident off Oban in Argyll during Storm Ciara. It is believed the 50-year-old got into difficulties in the Sound of Kerrea on Sunday.
A picture showing some of the flooding in York Knavesmire, Yorkshire today. 30 flood warnings are in place in the Yorkshire region today
A bull grazes in a snow covered field off the A66 in County Durham today as further snow and ice is expected
Snow on fields and roads around Princetown on the top of Dartmoor, Devon, where snow has fallen on high ground
A car covered with snow drives through the streets in Princetown on the top of Dartmoor, Devon, where snow has fallen on high ground
Police said the death was being treated as ‘unexplained’ but there were ‘no suspicious circumstances.’ The man was with a group of divers who were located on the shore at south of Oban. It is believed the death is not weather related.
P&O Ferries said it was forced to cancel several sailings between Dover and Calais due to the knock-on effect of the weekend’s weather.
Another ferry firm, DFDS, said its services on the route were disrupted due to the Channel’s weather conditions.
Several roads around the country remained closed on Monday due to fallen trees and flooding, with a lorry overturning on the Severn Bridge.
An historic Windmill restaurant was also destroyed in the Lincolnshire town of Burgh Le Marsh. Yesterday the sails were seen spinning out of control and the High Street was evacuated by emergency services.
The RAC urged motorists embarking on journeys as Storm Ciara clears to carry out vehicle checks such as their fuel level, lights and tyre tread.
Passengers at the country’s second largest airport took to social media to complain about lengthy delays, scuffles and children reportedly sleeping on the floor, with holiday firm TUI coming in for criticism.
On Twitter, Joanne Rose, posted a picture holding her son and said: ‘This is after 14 hours being stuck at Gatwick airport with my 4 year old son and my 82 year old mother ! With not one person from your company to help us !!!! Disgusted is an understatement!!! The time is now 23.47.
And Ade Peachey said: ‘Absolutely disgusting service from your front desk at British Airways today. We were left standing for over 3 hours, some fights broke out in the queue which your staff didn’t even bother to get security for. As for your front desk staff, they need to relearn.’
The treacherous driving conditions are causing a number of incidents on the road network. Pictured: a car crashed in Oldham this morning, the driver was not thought to have suffered any injuries
A huge floating island of rubbish has washed up in Salford Quays after Storm Ciara battered the region
A spokesman for TUI said: ‘Due to the adverse weather conditions caused by Storm Ciara some of our flights were delayed departing from London Gatwick on Sunday 9th February, including TOM4744 to Tenerife.
‘Customers who were not able to depart on Sunday 9th February as planned were provided hotel accommodation, food and drinks, and will be receiving a pro rata refund of their holiday for the inconvenience cause.
‘Although this situation was beyond our control, we understand delays can be frustrating and would like to thank customers for their patience.’
As of 5am on Monday, UK Power Networks reported more than 18,500 properties across the east and southeast of England were still without power while Western Power Distribution said more than 2,800 homes were in the dark.
Flooding and debris on rail lines caused delays and cancellations over the weekend as many major stations across the UK shut due to overcrowding, with at least 10 firms issuing a ‘do not travel’ warning.
Meanwhile, hundreds of flights were grounded – with London‘s Heathrow airport the worst affected with more than 400 arrivals and departures axed.
In Essex, homes have been evacuated in Essex after a car fell into a huge sinkhole following wild weather caused by Storm Ciara.
Pictures from the scene showed the Toyota trapped nose-first in the sinkhole on a residential road in Brentwood, with the driver and passenger doors wide open and both airbags inflated.
It is believed that the car was being driven on the road when the sinkhole opened up, although the driver is said to have escaped uninjured.
Chief Meteorologist at the Met Office Frank Saunders said: ‘In the wake of Storm Ciara, it’ll remain unsettled and very windy across the UK and it’ll turn colder with wintry showers and ice an additional hazard, as we head into the new week.
‘A wind and snow warning is in force for parts of Northern Ireland and Scotland on Monday as well as a further yellow wind warning in the south west of England.’
Airports around the country on Sunday night told travellers to check their flight with their airline due to the continuing bad weather conditions.
Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said: ‘While Storm Ciara is clearing away, that doesn’t mean we’re entering a quieter period of weather. It’s going to stay very unsettled.
‘We have got colder air coming through the UK and will be feeling a real drop in temperatures, with an increased risk of snow in northern parts of the UK and likely in Scotland.
‘There could be up to 20cm on Monday and Tuesday and with strong winds, blizzards aren’t out of the question.
Yesterday parts of the West Yorkshire communities of Mytholmroyd and Hebden Bridge have been inundated again – four years after record flooding devastated the area.
River levels peaked on Sunday just below the record levels of the 2015 Boxing Day floods, which caused millions of pounds of damage to houses and businesses right along the Calder Valley.
More than £30 million has been spent on flood defences in Mytholmroyd since the 2015 deluge, with part of the scheme completed in 2019 and the remainder due to be finished this summer.
Early reports from the village were that some of the new defences held but many homes were still flooded.
At the height of the flooding in the village on Sunday, the floods wardens said on their Facebook page: ‘Please stay at home unless absolutely necessary. There are no passable roads through The Valley.
‘There are no shops open for you to buy things from. And if you think you have a vehicle that is capable of driving through flood water still don’t do it.’
On Monday the wardens said: ‘It’s the morning after and possibly the first time people will get a chance to really take stock of the devastation.’
Flooding affected large sections of the River Calder and River Aire in West Yorkshire.
Further downstream, the main bridge at Elland has been closed for structural assessments after a large shipping container hit it and lodged underneath.
Martin Slater from the Environment Agency told BBC Radio Leeds: ‘As the rain that fell yesterday moves down the River Aire catchment and the River Calder it will be going through Leeds overnight and today.
‘So we do ask people to remain vigilant and stay away from rivers.’
There were 214 flood warnings in place demanding immediate action, with 177 alerts also suggesting that flooding was possible elsewhere.
Drivers faced treacherous conditions with floodwater, fallen trees and other debris closing roads. The M11 was shut in both directions in Cambridgeshire after an airport hangar in Duxford airfield, the location of the largest aviation museum in the UK, was damaged by high winds.
The major motorway caused chaos near Stansted Airport, with traffic queuing for more than a mile after Highways England said the hangar was ‘likely’ to blow onto road.
Heathrow cancelled 472 flights, with Gatwick axing 333. Elsewhere across the country, Birmingham airport grounded 101, Edinburgh 85 and in Manchester 74 flights were called off.
Planes were being diverted as far as Londoners suffer in stifling 107F on busy Tube while UK roasts in heatwave... as Britain braces for hottest day EVER on Tropical Thursday
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