UK weather: Heavy rain and strong winds to blast country as Storm Bronagh brings 76mph gusts

Forecasters warn of more travel disruption and danger of flying debris

High winds and heavy rain will continue to batter the UK on after Storm Bronagh blew in overnight with gales reaching 76mph.

Forecasters at the Met Office have warned of the risk of more travel disruption and the ongoing danger posed by flying debris.

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

Following soon after Storm Ali, the second named storm of the year brought gale force winds and downpours as it swept eastwards across Wales and England on Thursday.

Storm Bronagh saw around half a month’s rain fall in both Sheffield and Sennybridge in Wales over 24 hours.

Winds reaching 76mph were recorded at the Needles on the Isle of Wight overnight, and gusts could reach up to 60mph in parts of the country on Friday - particularly in north west England.

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

“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.”

Train routes across England and Wales were disrupted due to high winds brought by the storm. Speed restrictions were in place for many trains.

The A1 near Gonerby Moor in Lincolnshire was closed 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.

In Wales a landslip in the Dinas Rhondda blocked a railway line between Ystrad Rhondda and Porth, while a tree stopped trains between Carmarthen and Milford Haven.

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

Richard Leonard, Highways England’s head of road safety, encouraged drivers to check the latest travel conditions before setting off on journeys.

“In high winds, there’s a particular risk to lorries, caravans and motorbikes so we’d advise drivers of these vehicles to slow down,” he said. “Drivers of other vehicles should be aware of sudden gusts of wind which can affect handling and braking, and give high-sided vehicles, caravans, and motorbikes plenty of space.”

Although the strongest winds are expected to occur as Storm Bronagh moves offshore into the North Sea, the wet and windy weather is set to continue over the weekend.

Quieter conditions are expected to follow from early next week.

Additional reporting by Press Association