Storm Barra arrives, bringing rain, 70mph winds, and threat of disruption

Barra follows Storm Arwen, which brought power outages to hundreds of homes.

Sandbags piled up in the town of Bantry in County Cork which flooded after Storm Barra hit the UK and Ireland with disruptive winds, heavy rain and snow (PA) (PA Wire)

The first early effects of Storm Barra have been felt across the UK and Ireland, with gusty winds and heavy rainfall battering communities already enduring days-long power outages.

The Met Office announced its yellow wind warning came into force from 9am on Tuesday, meaning disruption on the travel network is likely.

There is also “a small chance” that larger-than-usual waves in coastal areas could present a risk of injury or potentially a threat to life if wild winds whip street furniture and beach material into the air.

Gusts of 67mph have already been recorded in the Isles of Scilly, off the far south-west coast of England as Storm Barra moves its way in from the west.

There were also 70mph gusts on Sherkin Island, south-west of Co Cork in Ireland.

And there is expected to be further misery for homeowners still without power after Barra’s predecessor, Storm Arwen left hundreds of households in the north-east of England without electricity.

Northern Powergrid said it was in “the final push” to reconnect the 500 customers who remain without power on Tuesday morning.

(PA Graphics) (PA Graphics)

Heavy snowfall is expected across parts of Scotland and northern England from later on Tuesday, the Met Office said.

While the west of Ireland will receive the worst of the storm on Tuesday, yellow wind warnings are in place across England, Wales and Northern Ireland

There are further weather warnings in place across Northern Ireland and the south-west of England into Wednesday.

The Environment Agency had five flood warnings in place as of 10am Tuesday, meaning flooding is expected.

They are along the south coast of England between Dorset and Hampshire, in Christchurch, Beaulieu, Fareham, and Langstone and Emsworth, and along the Essex coast at Coalhouse Fort.

There are more than 30 flood alerts also in place, meaning flooding is possible.