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UK weather: Storm Henry brings enormous winds during rush hour

Transport and power supplies have been slowly returning to normal after gusts of up to 90mph, which blew a waterfall "upside down"

Paul Ward
Tuesday 02 February 2016 15:32 GMT
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(Isle of Mull Cottages / YouTube)

Enormous winds have battered northern Britain, as Storm Henry widespread rush-hour travel disruption and power cuts to much of the country.

Transport and power supplies have been slowly returning to normal on Tuesday after gusts of 90mph - causing bridges and roads to be closed and the cancellation of trains and ferries since the storm arrived on Monday afternoon.

More than 10,000 homes lost electricity as the eighth winter storm blew across Scotland, Northern Ireland and the north of England.

Winds of 90mph were recorded in South Uist overnight on Monday, with gusts of 60mph in Glasgow and 63mph in Loftus, North Yorkshire.

Online video showed waterfalls on the Isle of Mull being being blown "upside down", back uphill and 14m waves crashed along parts of the west coast of Scotland.

Met Office amber "be prepared" warnings were in place from Monday afternoon to Tuesday morning and the severe weather created difficulties for recovery teams attending to blown-over vehicles, routes blocked by trees and buildings made unsafe by the extreme winds.

Gusts of 84mph forced the closure of the Forth Road Bridge on Monday, and travel on the A82 between Glencoe and Rannoch Moor was restricted after a van and a lorry were blown off the road.

The Humber Bridge near Hull was also closed to high-sided vehicles and caravans and a speed limit was imposed after a lorry blew over in 49mph winds.

Around 1,500 homes in the north of Scotland remain without power. Since the start of the storm on Monday afternoon Scottish Hydro said engineers have reconnected 9,000 properties which lost electricity.

Henry is the eighth winter storm and comes days after the UK saw off Storm Gertrude, which brought gusts of more than 100mph in Shetland.

The Met Office started naming storms last year to raise awareness, starting with Storm Abigail which hit on 12 November.

Warnings at the lesser yellow "be aware" level remain in place for Northern Ireland, Wales, northern England and the West Midlands until Tuesday night but forecasters said conditions will improve for a couple of days at least.

Met Office forecaster Charles Powell said: "It will be a colder night with most places getting down to low single figures but the wind should keep the frost and ice at bay.

"Outbreaks of sleet and rain will continue southwards through Wednesday but it will mainly be a dry and bright day for most."

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