Storm Ciarán - latest: ‘Danger to life’ warning issued as England and Wales brace for 70mph winds

The Met Office has issued two amber warnings and five yellow warnings across the UK as Britain prepares to be battered by Storm Ciarán’s 70mph winds and torrential rainfall tomorrow.

The storm will hit the South Coast as Ciarán makes land tomorrow the Met Office have issued yellow warnings in Sussex as heavy downpours and gusts hit the coast from 5am.

South Wales and the South West will also be placed under a yellow alert from 6pm to midnight as the regions will face wide disruption.

Amber warnings will be introduced to the South West and South Coast on Thursday as powerful winds and rainfall could pose a risk to life.

“Amber weather warnings issued. Very strong and damaging winds associated with Storm Ciarán bringing travel disruption. Large waves may also bring coastal impacts,” the Met Office said.

Gusts of 80mph winds to areas along the south coast of England are expected, while up to 60mm of rain is expected to fall in some areas.

Key Points

• Amber weather warnings issued across England and Wales

• Met Office name latest storm set to bring 90mph winds to the UK this week

• Staggering number of flood warnings in place

• Where will be affected?

• How bad will the weather be?

British Airways grounds 30+ Heathrow flights

17:01 , Simon Calder

London Heathrow airport, the busiest in the UK, has imposed restrictions on the “flow rate” of arriving aircraft due to the strong winds expected to arrive with Storm Ciarán.

British Airways, which has more than half the slots at Heathrow, has grounded 30 domestic and European flights. They include two round trips to each of Amsterdam, Belfast City and Paris CDG.

Passengers are being rebooked on other services, or can take a full refund.

In addition, all four BA services to and from Jersey have been grounded due to the closure of the island’s airport all day on Thursday.

In addition, KLM has cancelled five round-trips between Amsterdam and Heathrow due to reduced runway capacity at the Dutch airport.

Airlines prepare for disruption

16:10 , Simon Calder

Loganair passengers booked to fly to or from airports in southern parts of Britain on Thursday can switch to other dates.

The airline said: “We are offering customers travelling to or from Norwich, Bristol, Newquay, Southampton, Exeter, London Heathrow and Cardiff the opportunity to adjust travel plans without charge.

“We plan to fly all our scheduled services. We have standby aircraft and crews in place to help recover disrupted services as soon as weather permits.”

EasyJet is telling passengers: “Storm Ciarán is expected to affect parts of Northern Ireland, southern England and the Channel Islands from the evening of 1 November through to 2 November.

“This has the potential to cause some delays and disruption to flights.”

Heavy rainfall could cause flooding, environment agency warns

15:10 , Alexander Butler

Heavy rainfall could cause flooding across the UK, the environment agency has warned.

“Rain is forecast across England this evening, which may cause flooding in some areas. Be prepared,” it said.

It comes as the UK saw over a third more rain than average this with 171.5mm of rainfall.

UK saw over a third more rain than average this month

14:55 , Alexander Butler

Northern Ireland had its fifth wettest October on record with 191.8mm being 68% more than its average. England had its eighth wettest on record with 147.2mm of rain, which is 63% more than average.

In addition to some counties in the east of Scotland, Staffordshire, Nottinghamshire and the Isle of Wight also provisionally had their respective wettest October on record. In Northern Ireland, counties Armagh and Down also had their wettest October.

The UK saw over a third more rain than average with 171.5mm in what was provisionally the joint-sixth wettest October on record, the Met Office has said.

'Do not attempt to travel on the East Coast main line on Thursday or Friday' – LNER

14:30 , Simon Calder

On the East Coast main line, connecting London King’s Cross with Yorkshire, northeast England and Scotland, LNER warns disruption to services due to Storm Ciarán will continue until at least Saturday 4 November – and is urging passengers not to attempt to travel on Thursday or Friday.

The train operator says: “We strongly advise customers to avoid travelling on Thursday 2 November and Friday 3 November.

“Some LNER trains will be running, but there is likely to be major disruption including severe delays, short-notice cancellations and overcrowding.

“There may be service alterations on Saturday 4 November as we work towards reinstating our normal timetable.

“If your journey is wholly with LNER, your ticket will be valid for travel on any LNER service on Monday 6 November or Tuesday 7 November.

“If you have a ticket for travel on Thursday 2 November or Friday 3 November, you can use your ticket to travel on an earlier or later LNER service on the same date. “

Additional disruption will occur between Edinburgh and Newcastle due to urgent repair work to a viaduct near Morpeth.

Trains are leaving the Scottish capital earlier than planned to allow for hold-ups. The work will continue until at least Monday 6 November.

DFDS Ferries cancels all UK-France ferries from Wednesday evening to Friday morning

14:13 , Simon Calder

All sailings by DFDS Ferries between the UK and France have been cancelled from late on Wednesday evening to Friday morning.

The line normally links Dover with both Calais and Dunkirk. But the company says: “We regret to inform that sailings from the 11.59pm departure on 1 November until and including the 2am departure on 3 November have been suspended due to the extreme weather conditions.

“We apologise for any inconvenience caused and we appreciate your understanding in this matter. Rest assured that the safety of our passengers remains our utmost priority.

“For passengers affected by the cancellation, our customer service representatives are available to assist you with rebooking options or answer any questions you may have. We understand the disappointment this may cause, and we appreciate your patience.”

Earlier DFDS said its Newhaven-Dieppe link would be suspended for 24 hours from Wednesday evening.

Jersey airport to close all day on Thursday

11:46 , Simon Calder

Jersey airport, the main hub for the Channel Islands, will close to all passenger flights on Thursday 2 November.

Passengers are told: “Airport authorities have decided to close the airport to commercial operations all day on Thursday.

“The airport will remain open for emergency and medical flights, and will reopen on Friday after a visual inspection of the airport infrastructure.”

A spokesperson for easyJet, which operates many flights to and from the island, said: “Following the decision by Jersey Airport to close, we have cancelled our flights to and from Jersey and will continue to monitor the weather closely.”

The spokesperson added: “Due to strong winds forecast from Storm Ciaran impacting parts of southern UK on Thursday, like other airlines we are expecting some disruption to our flying programme.

“We continue to advise all passengers due to fly with us on Thursday to check the status of their flights … and to allow extra time to travel to the airport due to the impact of the weather on local public transport services.”

Up to 12,000 sandbags deployed in Northern Ireland

10:49 , Alexander Butler

Some 12,000 sandbags have been deployed in Northern Ireland as areas of the nation have been battered by flooding and strong winds.

It comes as an estimated 80 businesses in Newry, County Down, are counting the cost after the city’s canal burst its banks on Monday night, submerging sections under water.

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for rain for the eastern half of Northern Ireland on Thursday.

Wet conditions expected until Friday

09:50 , Alexander Butler

Wet conditions are expected across the UK until Friday, the Met Office said.

“Wind and rain warnings associated with Storm Ciaran are in force from Wednesday night onwards into Friday. As well as strong winds, this deep low pressure system will bring heavy rain to many parts of the UK,” Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Dan Suri said.

“Much of southern England and south Wales, as well as parts of north Wales, northeast England, southeast Scotland and perhaps the east of Northern Ireland look to see the wettest conditions between Wednesday evening and Friday morning.”

Storm Ciarán triggers three days of travel chaos in the UK

09:53 , Alexander Butler

Storm Ciarán, the latest spell of bad weather to hit the UK, is already causing widespread travel disruption – with cancellations and delays expected to last until Friday.

National Rail is warning that “heavy rain accompanied by strong winds” will affect journeys across Wales and the south of England on Wednesday and Thursday, and across the northeast of England on Thursday and Friday.

Brittany Ferries is telling travellers: “Weather-related delays and/or cancellations may occur on Wednesday 1 November and (particularly) Thursday 2 November. We will continue to monitor forecasts carefully in the coming 24 hours.”

To find out more about how travel has been affected by the weather, read here:

Storm Ciarán triggers three days of travel chaos in the UK and beyond

Greenpeace urge politicians to take climate crisis seriously

07:30 , Stuti Mishra

As storm Ciarán makes its way across Northern Ireland it has left parts of the country submerged in rainwater.

Parts of Newry in County Down are underwater as a yellow rain warning remains in place until 9am tomorrow.

Greenpeace have called for action saying flooding will become more common as climate crisis worsens.

Mapped: Where Storm Ciarán will hit UK as new ‘danger to life’ warning issued

07:00 , Lydia Patrick

Storm Ciarán is set to batter the UK this week as the Met Office has issued amber ‘danger to life’ warnings for “very strong winds” across England and Wales.

Exposed English coastal regions could be lashed by gusts of up to 90mph, as flying debris, blown-off roofs and power cuts are expected across the country.

There are both amber and yellow warnings for wind in place from Wednesday night until the end of Thursday and will affect large swathes of England and Wales.

Mapped: Where Storm Ciarán will hit UK as new ‘danger to life’ warning issued

Met Office issues more than 70 flood warnings ahead of Storm Ciarán as amber alert comes into effect

06:30 , Lydia Patrick

Flooding has been reported in parts of Northern Ireland as police urged people against travelling due to an amber rain warning.

The Met Office has issued an amber warning for rain, the second highest level, for much of the south-eastern part of the region.

Across the UK, the Environment Agency has issued more than 70 flood warnings ahead of the arrival of Storm Ciarán on Wednesday while yellow weather warnings for rain have been issued by the Met Office from Monday until Thursday.

The warning covers Counties Antrim, Down and Armagh. It came into effect at 9pm on Monday and extends until 9am on Tuesday.

The Met Office has forecast persistent heavy rain, leading to flooding and transport disruption.

Met Office issues 70 flood warnings ahead of Storm Ciarán amid amber alert

Rain and wind forecast for Thursday

06:04 , Stuti Mishra

Today’s weather forecast ahead of Storm Ciaran’s arrival

05:30 , Stuti Mishra

The Met Office forecasts a largely unsettled and windy day today ahead of the arrival of Storm Ciaran tomorrow with some sunny outbreaks.

A number of Severe Weather Warnings have already been issued by the forecaster.

Storm Ciarán will move northeastwards with heavy rain and damaging winds affecting many parts of England and Wales.

In the north, the rain is expected to begin slowly clearing through the day, remaining heavy at times and mainly dry at night with lighter winds across Scotland and Northern Ireland.

In south, the blustery showers will give way to heavy rain and gales spreading in from the southwest as Storm Ciarán arrives later at night.

“Aahead of Storm Ciarán, a squally cold front will move eastwards across southern and southeast England bringing bursts of heavy rain and coastal gusts of 60-70mph, mainly from Dorset eastwards," Met Office chief meteorologist Dan Suri, said.

Two Amber warnings issued for England and Wales

05:00 , Stuti Mishra

The Met Office has issued two amber alerts for England and Wales tomorrow as much of the country is bracing itself for a fresh bout of wind and rain with Storm Ciaran.

Amber warnings are in place for the entire south coast of England and parts of Pembrokeshire where Storm Ciaran is due to hit, together with several further yellow rain warnings.

The storm has already caused flooding in Northern Ireland, where a yellow rain warning from the Met Office is in place until 9am today.

A similar notice has been issued for parts of southwest, central and eastern Scotland from 3am to 3pm and in southern parts of England and Wales from 6pm on today until the end of tomorrow.

A further yellow warning for rain and wind has been issued across the southeast coast from 5am to 9am today with a yellow warning for wind across southern England and parts of South Wales from 6pm today and throughout tomorrow.

Here’s a map showing areas covered under amber warning.

Newry swamped as more floods hit Ireland

04:30 , Stuti Mishra

Large parts of Newry in Co Down have been swamped by floodwater as the city's canal burst its banks amid heavy rainfall.

Dozens of businesses were engulfed in the floods, with widespread damage caused to buildings, furnishings and stock.

Police have warned people to stay out of the city centre as streets have turned into rivers.

Thousands of sandbags have been stacked along the canal to try to stem to flow amid fear of further breaches.

Parts of the canal walls have already collapsed into the water and the authorities are concerned more sections could give way.

Other areas in the north east of the island of Ireland were also badly hit by the overnight rain, with homes flooded in Camlough in Co Armagh and Newcastle in Co Down.

The main motorway and train line linking Belfast and Dublin were both affected by flooding on Tuesday, causing major disruption for cross-border travellers.

In Newry, Sugar Island, Kildare Street, Canal Quay and part of Bridge Street were among the areas worst hit.

Areas under Amber warning on Thursday

03:37 , Stuti Mishra

An amber warning is in place from 3am to 1pm tomorrow in Cornwall, Devon and the extreme west coast of Pembrokeshire, with the Met Office predicting Storm Ciaran will bring winds of 75 to 85mph with 65 to 75mph gusts inland.

Across the south coast, from Dorset eastwards, the amber warning runs from 6am to 8pm with winds expected to reach 70 to 80 mph with the potential for 85mph and large waves.

The warning says wind could disrupt travel, power lines and cause structural damage with flying debris providing a threat to life.

Mapped - Today’s weather warnings

02:00 , Lydia Patrick

There are five weather warnings in place across the UK as torrential rainfall and gusty winds of up to 70mph are set to strike.

Met Office’s list of storm names

01:00 , Lydia Patrick

Ciarán is the third named storm of the season, following Agnes and Babet.

The Met Office name storms to aid the communication of approaching severe weather through media partners and other government agencies to improve the public response.

2023/4 Storm Names

Panic buyers storm supermarkets in Channel Islands leaving shelves empty

00:00 , Lydia Patrick

Panicked shoppers have emptied supermarkets as Channel Island residents have been advised to stay indoors on Thursday when Ciarán arrives on their shores.

Despite supermarket bosses reassuring residents they have enough supplies to last the duration of the storm, islanders rushed to stockpile essential goods amid worries freight ferries won’t be able to reach the islands, report ITV.

Guernsey resident prepares for Storm Ciarán

Tuesday 31 October 2023 23:00 , Lydia Patrick

A father has brought heavy items indoors as the Channel Islands brace themselves for the arrival of Storm Ciarán.

Gary Rich, a carpenter from Guernsey, has packed up expensive goods from his garden in preparation for heavy winds that can sweep up weighty items and cause heavy destruction to surrounding buildings.

Devon council repair sea wall in time for storm

Tuesday 31 October 2023 22:00 , Lydia Patrick

Jersey tells residents to stay home

Tuesday 31 October 2023 21:00 , Lydia Patrick

The government of Jersey has told islanders to stay indoors on Thursday when Storm Ciarán is expected to cause chaos on the Channel Island.

Residents have been told to only visit hospitals in the case of an emergency and schools will be shut.

Watch - Tonight’s weather forecast

Tuesday 31 October 2023 20:00 , Lydia Patrick

Southampton bridge closed due to storm

Tuesday 31 October 2023 19:30 , Lydia Patrick

The Itchen Bridge will be closed as Storm Ciarán hits Southampton, according to reports.

The bridge over the River Itchen connects the A3025 Portsmouth Road to Southampton.

It will be closed from 7pm on Wednesday 1 November and will stay shut until conditions improve.

Flooding causing ‘destruction and financial stress’ to farmers, NFU warns

Tuesday 31 October 2023 19:00 , Lydia Patrick

Flooding is causing “destruction and financial stress” to farmers’ businesses and their homes, a major farming organisation has warned.

The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) said it was calling on all political parties to set out their plans to protect farmland “from flooding which puts the country’s food security at risk”, following the “devastation caused by Storm Babet”.

The NFU has written an open letter calling on the Environment Agency to “deliver a proactive plan for the watercourses and flood defences it manages” and for the Government to “pay farmers and growers fairly” for the role they play “in protecting homes and businesses when rivers breach their banks”.

The letter also calls for changes to the Flood Defence Grant to ensure that “rural communities are not disadvantaged by the nature of smaller populations in comparison to urban communities”.

NFU deputy president Tom Bradshaw said: “Despite promises made during each catastrophic flooding event, repeated governments of all parties have failed to get to grips with the challenge of managing watercourses and flooding.

“With another storm forecast this week, we need to see plans come forward as a matter of urgency.”

Storm Ciarán will risk flooding, environment agency warns

Tuesday 31 October 2023 17:51 , Alexander Butler

Storm Ciarán is due to increase the risk of flooding in some areas, the UK environment agency warned.

“Storm Ciarán is due to create very strong winds and heavy rain across England, increasing the risk of flooding to some areas. Stay safe and don’t take unnecessary risks,” it said on X, formerly Twitter.

Trains in Scotland will likely have reduced speed

Tuesday 31 October 2023 16:51 , Alexander Butler

Trains running in Scotland during Storm Ciarán will likely have their speed reduced, according to Network Rail Scotland.

“It’s likely that we will have to reduce train speeds for safety reasons in some areas. We’ll let you know as soon as these are confirmed.

“High winds can bring down trees onto the tracks, posing a danger to trains,” it said.

Sixty-year-old Irish business left in ‘absolute mess’

Tuesday 31 October 2023 15:40 , Alexander Butler

A 60-year-old Irish family business has been left in an “absolute mess” following intense floods caused by Storm Ciarán this week.

Paul McCartan, who owns McCartan Bros, a clothing shop in County Down, Northern Ireland, said his shop was submerged under three feet of water and his stock had been ruined.

“It’s a family business, we’ve been going from 1959. I know my father and uncle went through something like this but not maybe as extreme. You’d think nowadays we’d have better defences, but obviously not,” Mr McCartan said.

“Unfortunately, we’re just going to have to see where we go from here, it’s a bit of a nightmare coming into Christmas. I don’t know when I’ll be able to reopen again.”

Weather to stay ‘unsettled’ and ‘very windy’ over next few days, Met Office says

Tuesday 31 October 2023 14:31 , Alexander Butler

The weather will stay “unsettled” and “very windy” across the UK over the coming days as Storm Ciarán approaches, the Met Office said.

“Tomorrow, ahead of Storm Ciarán, a squally cold front will move eastwards across southern and southeast England bringing bursts of heavy rain and coastal gusts of 60-70mph, mainly from Dorset eastwards,” Met Office Chief Meteorologist Dan Suri said.

“As well as strong winds, this deep low pressure system will bring heavy rain to many parts of the UK. Much of southern England and south Wales, as well as parts of north Wales, northeast England, southeast Scotland and perhaps the east of Northern Ireland look to see the wettest conditions between Wednesday evening and Friday morning. 20-25 mm of rain may fall quite widely, with 40-60 mm possible over higher ground.”

British Red Cross urges people to follow advice on how to prepare for flooding

Tuesday 31 October 2023 13:30 , Alexander Butler

The British Red Cross has urged people to stay safe by following advice on how to prepare for flooding.

“Weather warnings for wind and rain are in place across parts of England and Wales as Storm Ciarán approaches.

“Stay safe with our advice on how to prepare for flooding, and share this post with others. Keep an eye on Met Office and local news for updates in your area,” it said on X, formerly Twitter.

Amber weather warnings issued across England and Wales

Tuesday 31 October 2023 11:57 , Alexander Butler

The Met Office has issued “danger to life” warnings across southern England as the region is set to be battered by strong winds caused by Storm Ciarán this week.

An amber wind warning has been issued for the south-west and parts of Wales between 3am and 1pm on Thursday. Another amber warning was put in place for the south-east between 6am and 8pm on Thursday.

“Amber weather warnings issued. Very strong and damaging winds associated with Storm Ciarán bringing travel disruption. Large waves may also bring coastal impacts,” the Met Office said on X, formerly Twitter.

Floods connected to climate change, Ireland’s environment minister says

Tuesday 31 October 2023 11:24 , Alexander Butler

Flooding caused by Storm Ciarán is connected to climate change with risks more likely in the future due to rising sea levels, Ireland’s environment minister said.

“My heart goes out to those up in Cooley/Carlingford, down in Wexford I know there has been particular flooding, as well as Newry, as well as what happened to Middleton (Co Cork) obviously a few weeks ago,” Eamon Ryan told RTE Radio One.

“Those parts of the country in the south-east tend to be more at risk because of softer ground conditions at the coast. Because there’s also a kind of a longer term trend in terms of that coastline lowering slightly and also obviously rising sea levels.

“So it is connected to climate change. We have to manage and protect our coasts and our people. We can do that, but we have to recognise the reality - the seas are rising, there are particular difficulties also with heavier rains coming, as well as the other elements of coastal erosion.”

Jersey islanders warned of 90mph winds

Tuesday 31 October 2023 10:30 , Alexander Butler

Jersey islanders have been warned to remain vigilant amid 90mph winds that are expected to batter the region as Storm Ciarán approaches the UK.

“This is an active situation, and we are closely monitoring the evolving weather patterns and will be releasing further instructions and advice through our official channels in due course.

“We urge everyone to remain vigilant and prepared for severe conditions,” Jersey emergency planning officer Kevin Murphy said.

Bridge collapses in Ireland

Tuesday 31 October 2023 10:00 , Alexander Butler

A bridge has partially collapsed in Ireland due to flooding brought on by Storm Ciarán, according to images posted by residents.

The bridge in County Louth, Ireland, was seen with large chunks missing from it as rainwater gushed underneath and through the gaps.

It comes as the Met Office issued a “danger to life” amber warning amid 80mph winds and heavy rain.

Drivers should take ‘extra precaution’, police warn

Tuesday 31 October 2023 09:25 , Alexander Butler

Drivers should take “extra precautions” as they drive across the Northern Ireland this morning, according to the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

“Motorists are advised to take extra precautions when driving this morning, as heavy rainfall across the country overnight has left the roads hazardous in some areas,” it said on X, formerly Twitter.

“Keep a safe distance from the car in front and exercise caution at all times.”

Storm Ciarán tracker: When and where 90mph winds will hit this week

Tuesday 31 October 2023 08:43 , Alexander Butler

The Met Office has warned of “strong winds and heavy rain” this week as Storm Ciarán is set to hit the UK.

A staggering 72 flood warnings have been issued across England and a further 172 flood alerts, while Scotland has been isued with 18 flood warnings and 11 flood alerts.

Read more here to track when and where the 90mph winds will hit this week:

Storm Ciarán tracker: When and where 90mph winds will hit this week

Warning of more heavy rain to come across Scotland following Storm Babet

Tuesday 31 October 2023 07:00 , Lydia Patrick

More heavy rain is expected to sweep over the north east of Scotland in the coming days prompting the Met Office to issue another weather alert.

The latest yellow weather warning for rain covers Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Dundee, and Perth and Kinross – most of which saw prolonged downpours cause problems for residents last week including flooding.

The warning will run from 12pm on Thursday to 12pm on Saturday.

Seven people are known to have died in the UK during Storm Babet, including three people north of the border. They were Wendy Taylor, 57, of Perthshire; John Gillan, 56, of Arbroath; and Peter Pelling, 61, also of Arbroath.

Warning of more heavy rain to come across Scotland following Storm Babet

What will the weather be like this week as Storm Ciarán arrives?

Tuesday 31 October 2023 06:30 , Lydia Patrick

As Brits brace themselves for the arrival of Storm Ciarán, here is a look at the weather forecast for the week ahead, with heavy rain pours expected to arrive before the storm makes land.

Track storm Ciarán

Tuesday 31 October 2023 06:00 , Lydia Patrick

The Met Office has warned of “strong winds and heavy rain” this week as Storm Ciarán is set to hit the UK.

A staggering 72 flood warnings have been issued across England and a further 172 flood alerts, while Scotland has been isued with 18 flood warnings and 11 flood alerts.

The third named storm of this year’s season comes after areas across Scotland and north-east England were battered with the worst of Storm Babet, which caused serious damage and several deaths when it hit last week.

Met office Deputy Chief Meteorologist, Chris Almond, said: “Heavy and persistent rain will fall onto already saturated ground bringing a risk of further impacts such as flooding in areas that are already struggling to clean up from the heavy rainfall we have seen over the last week or so.”

Storm Ciarán tracker: When and where 90mph winds will hit this week

More than 70 flood warnings issued ahead of Storm Ciaran

Tuesday 31 October 2023 05:26 , Stuti Mishra

Across the UK, the Environment Agency has issued more than 70 flood warnings ahead of the arrival of Storm Ciaran tomorrow while yellow weather warnings for rain have been issued by the Met Office from Monday until Thursday.

Gusts of 80mph are possible along the south coast of England, with 20 to 25mm of rain expected across southern and western areas, but potentially up to 40 to 60mm over higher ground, the Met Office said.

The forecaster advises the latest rain could lead to disruption to roads and public transport while already flood-affected areas after Storm Babet could get worse.

Flooding was seen across Sussex during the weekend, including the Priory Meadow Shopping Centre in Hastings, which was evacuated on Saturday with people posting on social media showing deep floodwater coming through the entrance.

On Sunday, a caravan park in Bognor Regis was also underwater, the town's Tesco supermarket car park was flooded and a house had its roof ripped off in heavy winds that residents described as like a "tornado".

"We've had various warnings in force across the UK over the last few days and there are plenty more being issued for the next couple of days," Marco Petagna, a Met Office meteorologist, said.

"The main focus in the next day or two is towards the east of Scotland and north-east England where there is a yellow rain warning until 3am.

"There will be persistent rain up there and then the focus for heavy showers will be across parts of southern and south eastern England and south Wales as well as parts of Northern Ireland with some heavy and sudden showers."

Read more:

'Please stay at home'

Tuesday 31 October 2023 04:37 , Stuti Mishra

Stormont's Department for Infrastructure said police were warning people not to travel during the period the amber warning is in effect.

"These (Met Office) warnings follow an extremely wet weekend where flooding has already occurred on many roads," it said.

"The persistent wet conditions on saturated ground and with higher river levels this will inevitably lead to more localised flooding. Traffic disruption is possible and the public are being asked to consider their journeys and take extra care if travel is necessary."

"It may be necessary to close roads or put temporary restrictions in place."

In a statement, the PSNI said: "Persistent heavy rain will lead to further flooding and we would ask the public to take steps to minimise risk."

"Please stay at home where possible and do not make unnecessary journeys. If you must travel, please bear the prevailing conditions in mind."

"Reduce your speed and drive with extra caution. Excess surface water could lead to aquaplaning, and there is the potential for cars to get stuck in just a few inches of floodwater. Visibility is likely to be severely reduced."

"Consider the potential risks before you leave. Do not place yourself or others in unnecessary danger."

Flooding hits part of Northern Ireland with amber alerts in effect

Tuesday 31 October 2023 03:46 , Stuti Mishra

Flooding has been reported in parts of Northern Ireland as police urged people against travelling due to an amber rain warning.

The Met Office has issued an amber warning for rain, the second highest level, for much of the south-eastern part of the region.

The warning covers Counties Antrim, Down and Armagh. It came into effect at 9pm on Monday and extends until 9am on Tuesday.

The Met Office has forecast persistent heavy rain, leading to flooding and transport disruption.

A yellow warning covers the rest of Northern Ireland.

There were reports of flooding in Newry in Co Down on Monday after the city's canal burst its banks.

Elsewhere, roads have been closed due to flooding, while in Dromantine, Co Down, approximately 100 sheep had to be rescued earlier on Monday after becoming stranded in a flooded field.

The Met Office has warned of between 25mm and 50mm of rain in places, and up to 100mm is also possible over higher ground.

Heavy rain expected over next few days as ‘nasty storm’ builds up

Tuesday 31 October 2023 02:00 , Lydia Patrick

The UK is braced for another deluge of rain over the next few days as wet and windy weather is expected to build up to a “nasty storm” later in the week.

The Environment Agency has issued more than 70 flood warnings ahead of the UK being hit by Storm Ciaran on Wednesday while yellow weather warnings for rain have been issued by the Met Office from Monday until Thursday.

Gusts of 80mph are possible along the south coast of England, with 20 to 25mm of rain expected across southern and western areas, but potentially up to 40 to 60mm over higher ground, the Met Office said.

On Monday, the worst of the weather is likely to hit the south coast of England, much of Wales and parts of Northern Ireland.

The forecaster advises the latest rains could lead to disruption to roads and public transport while already flood-affected areas following Storm Babet could get worse.

Heavy rain expected over next few days as ‘nasty storm’ builds up

Reports of flooding in Chester

Tuesday 31 October 2023 00:00 , Lydia Patrick

There have been multiple reports of floods in Chester as the North West is still recovering from Storm Babet’s destruction.

A Chester business shared their office space had been flooded by rainfall whilst a local bus service reported disruption to their services due to flood waters.

The Independent has not been able to verify these reports.

Weather warnings in place

Monday 30 October 2023 21:00 , Lydia Patrick

The Met Office issues an amber “danger to life” weather warning in Northern Ireland today.

Here are the weather warnings in place for the rest of the UK for the remainder of the week.

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

When will Storm Ciaran hit the UK?

Monday 30 October 2023 20:00 , Alexander Butler

As Britons recover from the destruction of Storm Babet, Storm Ciaran is set to arrive in the UK on Wednesday, bringing strong winds and heavy rainfall.

The storm will bring powerful winds of up to 90mph and up to 60mm of rainfall in highland areas.

This evening’s weather forecast

Monday 30 October 2023 19:00 , Lydia Patrick

Heavy rainfall is expected to batter the UK overnight as a ‘danger to life’ weather warning comes into place in Northern Ireland.

Scotland will have a mainly dry night with clear spells and some frost.

Elsewhere there will be some clear spells allowing some fog patches to form, although heavy showers are also likely, especially across Northern Ireland.

What is extreme weather?

Monday 30 October 2023 18:30 , Athena Stavrou

Storm Ciarán is the latest extreme weather event the UK has seen in recent weeks. The third named storm of this year’s season comes after areas across Scotland and north-east England were battered with the worst of Storm Babet, which caused serious damage and several deaths when it hit last week.

From flooding to heatwaves, wildfires to droughts, Earth’s weather cycles have shown signs of becoming increasingly more erratic, severe and prolonged, and though there is no blanket explanation for this change in weather patterns, human-induced global warming is a major underlying factor.

The Independent looks at extreme weather below:

Mapped: Storm Ciarán’s path across the UK

Monday 30 October 2023 18:00 , Athena Stavrou

Here is the predicted path Storm Ciarán is set to take as it sweeps across the UK from Wednesday night.

Advice for travelling in storms

Monday 30 October 2023 17:30 , Athena Stavrou

With Storm Ciarán set to batter the UK on Thursday, here’s the Met Office’s advice for travelling in a storm:

• If heavy downpours are expected, avoid starting your journey until it clears.

• If you can, choose main roads, where you are less likely to be exposed to fallen branches and debris and flooding.

• Use dipped headlights if visibility is seriously reduced.

• If the road is flooded, turn around and find another route. The number one cause of death during flooding is driving through flood water, so the safest advice is turn around, don’t drown.

• Keep an eye out for gaps between trees, buildings or bridges over a river or railway

• Flood water also contains hidden hazards which can damage your car, and just an egg-cupful of water sucked into your car’s engine will lead to severe damage.

• Gusts of wind can unsettle vehicles – grip your steering wheel firmly with both hands.

• Remember to give vulnerable road users including cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians more room than usual - they are more likely to be blown around by side winds

Water rises above windows of 18th century west London riverside pub

Monday 30 October 2023 17:00 , Athena Stavrou

Water surrounded the windows of a pub in Chiswick, London, on the banks of the River Thames after a flooding alert was issued.

The Environment Agency issued a flood alert for Tidal Thames riverside from Putney Bridge to Teddington Weir on Wednesday, 25 October.

The Bull’s Head posted footage on X/Twitter on Sunday showing water splashing against the windows of the building.

When one user on social media asked if the water caused any leaks, the pub responded: “A bit”.

Storm Ciaran: How and why storms get their names

Monday 30 October 2023 16:30 , Athena Stavrou

The UK is braced for downpours and blustering gales once again with a new storm just days after Storm Babet battered large parts of the country.

This is the third named storm of the season, hence starts with the letter C.

Here’s why storms are named and the new changes the UK Met Office has made in its process for naming the storm in 2023/24 season.

Read more:

From Babet to Walid: How and why storms get their names