Storm Ashley latest: Rail and flight delays continue due to 80mph winds as UK put on high alert for flooding
Met Office weather warning also remains in force on Monday morning after Scotland pummelled with 111mph gusts
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Your support makes all the difference.Storm Ashley has battered parts of the country with hurricane-force winds and torrential rain as more flights and trains are cancelled.
As the storm passed over the Scottish Highlands on Sunday night, average wind speeds hit 85mph with gusts of at least 111mph provisionally recorded at the summit of Cairn Gorm.
Speed restrictions are in place on rail lines across Scotland due to the high winds, while flights continued to be impacted at Aberdeen Airport this morning. At least four have been cancelled, including one bound for London Heathrow Airport.
In England, National Rail said Northern services between Bolton and Blackburn were being blocked by a tree on the line this morning.
The Environment Agency had 45 flood warnings, where flooding is expected, in place across England on Monday, including along the south Cornwall coast and large parts of the River Severn, after the river burst its banks, submerging the town of Worcester, the previous day.
A further 96 places were kept on high alert overnight with possible flooding – while, in Scotland, the Scottish Environment Flood Agency had 47 flood warnings in place, with eight issued by Natural Resources Wales.
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10 flood warnings remain in place
As of 5pm on Monday, 10 flood warnings remain in place across England and Wales, with risks of disruption along parts of the River Severn in Worcestershire and Gloucestershire.
A further 57 flood alerts have also been issued in areas such as Dorset, Lancashire and Oxford.
In pictures: Storm Ashley batters UK
Met Office’s five day weather forecast
This Evening and Tonight:
Rain clearing the southeast this evening. Clear spells elsewhere, with further showers in the north and west through the night. Patchy fog forming across central and southeastern parts of England.
Tuesday:
Any fog clearing through the morning. Most places dry with sunny spells. However, a band of thicker cloud and showery rain will push southeastwards across parts of England and Wales.
Outlook for Wednesday to Friday:
Morning fog will clear on Wednesday to leave a bright day for many. Starting settled on Thursday, but gradually turning wetter and windier from the west into Friday.
What impact can storms have on your mental health?
Storm Ashley has swept the news into a frenzy over the last few days, due to flooding, power outages and travel problems in parts of the UK.
Extreme weather events like this often heighten anxiety and stress, and can also have a significant impact on our mental health.
The drama of floods and lightning bolts can be scary, so PA have spoken to experts who have explained why storms affect us so much, and what we can do to cope with them.
How does stormy weather impact people’s mood and behaviour?
“Weather can have a real impact on not only our ‘in the moment’ feelings, but also how we perceive the rest of the day and beyond,” explains Dr Rachael Molitor, chartered psychologist and lecturer at Coventry University. “With sunlight having a positive impact on our mood due to its feel-good associations, dark, rainy and dreary weather can have the opposite effect.”
The media coverage of extreme weather events can also exacerbate these feelings.
“With much of the media coverage of storms associated with flooding, damage to properties, and weather or risk-to-life warnings, we are inundated by negative discussions around storms, leading to a negative mood and therefore, changes in behaviour,” notes the psychologist.
The unpredictability of storms can exacerbate feelings of stress, fear and anxiety.
Watch: Planes landing at Heathrow Airport face wrath of Storm Ashley’s 80mph winds
Watch: Planes landing at Heathrow Airport face wrath of Storm Ashley’s 80mph winds
Planes at Heathrow Airport have been seen getting blown around by the 80mph winds of Storm Ashley this morning (20 October). A number of flights from the like of BA and Virgin Atlantic were seen by Big Jet TV making their approach, sometimes sideways, before struggling to touch down in the bluster. Storm Ashley is “likely” to bring a threat of injuries and danger to life, the Met Office has said, with weather warnings issued across the UK. The storm is the first named storm of the year.
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