UK weather forecast: Storm Bronagh sparks flood alerts and 'danger to life' warnings after hitting Britain with 76mph gusts and heavy rain

Tom Powell21 September 2018

Storm Bronagh has blown in to the UK, bringing with it flodding, high winds of almost 80mph, and warnings of travel disruption for millions of Brits.

Bronagh brought 78mph gusts, as it swept across parts of the country, ripping trees from the ground and sparking dozens of flood alerts.

Coming immediately after Storm Ali, the second named storm of the year brought rush hour travel disruption, with fallen trees and flooding blocking roads and rail routes.

London and the rest of England have been issued with a 'danger to life' weather warning for “very strong winds” during the Friday morning rush hour as Bronagh spreads eastward.

Cars travel through heavy rain on the M5 on Thursday
PA

Injuries and danger to life from flying debris continue to be a risk to Brits, the Met Office said. Two people have been killed in the high winds already. A Swiss tourist died in Ireland when her caravan blew off a cliff, and Matthew Campbell, from Belfast, died after he was hit by a falling tree.

More than half a month's rain fell in Sennybridge in South Wales. Sheffield saw nearly half a month's rain fall in 24 hours.

Storm Bronagh: A flooded road near Sheffield after strong winds and heavy rain rolled in
PA

Winds are predicted to reach as high as 50mph today across large parts of the UK.

In dramatic scenes in Yorkshire, an elderly woman was rescued from a flooded car.

Her rescuer, named as Richard Hamshaw, is seen wading through water before smashing a window of the woman's car and lifting her to safety.

Cars attempt to pass through a flooded road in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire (REUTERS)
REUTERS/Carl Recine

He said: "We've just seen a car drive straight into water like she didn't see it coming.

"Then her back end just started floating and we could hear her slapping at the window.

"So we've gone up with the rope and smashed the back window and got her out the back of the car and then just got her out."

A driver attempts to pass through a flooded section of road in Newcastle-under-Lyme
REUTERS

Commuters are being warned of disruption on trains. Speed restrictions are in place for many routes across the network in England and Wales due to high winds.

Commuters in Wales face some of the most severe delays, after Bronagh caused flooding on the lines between Machynlleth and Aberystwyth, and near Mountain Ash.

A landslip in the Dinas Rhondda blocked the railway line between Ystrad Rhondda and Porth, and a fallen tree near Carmarthen also resulted in disruption.

Travellers in England are also experiencing problems, particularly in the southern regions.

Residents sand bag their houses as flooding hits Newcastle-under-Lyme
REUTERS

Some Southeastern services are delayed following a train hitting a tree at Maidstone East early on Friday morning, and services in the South West are operating with delays on a number of routes thanks to fallen trees and the enforced speed restrictions.

The Met Office has warned motorists to be aware of the poor weather conditions.

Somerset Council Highways reported dealing with 22 fallen trees overnight, and Suffolk Highways told Twitter followers they were dealing with a tree on the road near Hemingstone.

The A1 near Gonerby Moor in Lincolnshire was closed for a period on Friday morning as recovery crews removed a lorry that had left the carriageway, while flooding on the M6 at Crewe forced a slip road to be closed for several hours.

A Met Office yellow warning for wind covering England and Wales is in place until 9am.

Cars travel through heavy rain on the M5 near Worcester
PA

Overnight a gust of 76mph was recorded at the Needles on the Isle of Wight, while winds could reach up to 60mph during the day on Friday, particularly on the north-west coast of England.

In south-west Wales there were 12 flood warnings in place on Friday morning, with nearly 40 flood alerts issued across the country, while there were individual warnings in place in Staffordshire, Chesterfield and South Yorkshire, with more than 30 alerts across the north of England and West Midlands.

Met Office forecaster Rachael West told the Press Association: "Storm Bronagh is moving towards the North and East and we are going to continue to see strong, blustery and gusty north-westerly winds.

"We are looking at gusts of between 45 and 55mph across the UK and associated with that some heavy showers with some hail and thunder."

Police forces have also warned motorists to be aware of fallen trees, debris and power lines on the roads during the morning rush hour.

Storm Ali - In Pictures

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There were also reports of delays to airborne aircraft arriving at Manchester Airport due to windy conditions.

Overnight a gust of 76mph was recorded at the Needles on the Isle of Wight, while winds could exceed 60mph during the day on Friday, particularly on the north-west coast of England.

In south-west Wales there were 12 flood warnings in place on Friday morning, with nearly 40 flood alerts issued across the country, while there were individual warnings in place in Staffordshire, Chesterfield and South Yorkshire, with more than 30 alerts across the north of England and West Midlands.

Met Office forecaster Rachael West said: "Storm Bronagh is moving towards the north and east and we are going to continue to see strong, blustery and gusty north-westerly winds.

"We are looking at gusts of between 45 and 55mph across the UK and associated with that some heavy showers with some hail and thunder."