Bridges, railway lines, parks and zoos shut today as Britain was battered by strong winds with 78mph gusts causing Monday morning travel misery.
A 26-hour Met Office yellow wind warning covering most of England and Wales will run until 6pm this evening after coming into force at 8pm last night.
Some 150 properties were left without power in Chagford, Devon after strong winds spread inland having developed in coastal areas of the South West yesterday.
The highest gust speeds recorded overnight were 78mph at the Needles on the Isle of Wight, followed by 66mph at Aberdaron in Gwynedd, North Wales.
The M48 Severn Bridge was closed in both directions due to the winds, while the A628 Woodhead Pass through the Peak District was shut to high-sided vehicles.
Fallen trees caused rail chaos, blocking the Southeastern line between Dartford and Hither Green in Kent; the Transport for Wales line between Tondu and Maesteg; and the South Western Railway line between Hamble and Bursledon in Hampshire.
Meanwhile the Transport for Wales line between Swansea and Llanwrtyd in Powys was closed for the whole day due to the severe weather, with buses replacing trains.
Kew Gardens in London will shut from 1pm because of the severe weather, with attractions such as Whipsnade Zoo and Dartmoor Zoo closed for the whole day.
Royal Parks said vulnerable areas of its sites in London were closed, including the children’s playground at Hyde Park – and urged visitors not to shelter under trees.
A woman’s hair is blown in the wind as she crosses Waterloo Bridge in London this morning
Flooding at the Cwmbwrla roundabout in Swansea this morning following heavy rain
A Met Office yellow wind warning covering most of England and Wales will run until 6pm today
Woodland areas and National Trust sites in some parts of the country were also shut due to the winds, while the Hampstead Heath bathing ponds in London were closed.
The Southend Pier walkway was closed, while Ingoldisthorpe Primary School in Norfolk was shut to staff and pupils after a falling tree took down a power line.
P&O Ferries said strong winds were delaying its cross-Channel services between Dover and Calais, while DFDS cancelled two services on the route.
The wind warning covers most of England and Wales except the north of the Lake District and far North East.
Those under the warning zone are likely to feel 45 to 55mph west or south-westerly gusts and exposed locations could see 70mph, the Met Office said.
Forecasters predicted transport delays and large waves affecting coastal areas, with short-term power cuts possible.
The winds will slowly ease from the West later this afternoon and into the evening.
Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said there could be ‘low impacts in general’ but added: ‘Nonetheless, there could be some brief kind of power interruptions and some travel disruption for the return to work on Monday morning.
‘So it will be quite a windy start to the week. Gales certainly possible for many parts of England and Wales, perhaps even severe gales on Irish Sea coasts.
‘The strongest winds are expected to be for west Wales and North West England on Monday morning.’
He added that today will be ‘a windy and pretty unsettled start to the week with a mixture of sunny spells and heavy blustery showers’, mainly in England and Wales, but there will be ‘some fairly brisk winds at times further north as well’.
This week will bring ‘changeable’ conditions with periods of wind and rain throughout.
Mr Morgan said: ‘The ground has started to become fairly wet over recent weeks and it will not take a huge amount more for there to be some surface water, potentially some flooding issues as we go towards the middle part of the week.’
In preparation for the rough weather, people have been encouraged to secure loose items outside their properties and gardens from the forceful blasts.
They should also check for delays and road closures and be careful along coastal regions, the Met Office said.
The first storm of the season will be named Storm Amy, but the Met Office has determined the current system has not met the criteria to be named at this stage.
