Storm Chandra is bringing travel disruption and flooding to the UK as strong winds and heavy rain sweep the country.
Two severe flood warnings - meaning danger to life - have been issued.
The first warning was put in place at Ottery St Mary in Devon at 5.49am, with the Environment Agency stating that floodwater was expected to be "deep and fast flowing" as the River Otter reached its highest recorded level.
The second warning, affecting the Upper Frome at Dorchester in Dorset, was issued on Tuesday afternoon.
It comes as firefighters in Devon and Somerset rescued people from 25 vehicles in flood water on Tuesday morning.
As of Tuesday afternoon, there were 112 flood warnings, where flooding is expected, and 237 flood alerts, where it is possible, across England.
Snow was also forecast in parts of the country as a number of weather warnings came into force, including amber “danger to life” alerts for south-west England and the eastern coast of Northern Ireland for rain and wind respectively.
In London, heavy rain fell through morning rush hour, with gusts in excess of 30mph recorded overnight. A yellow warning for rain covering much of the capital lifted at midday.
Follow the latest updates below...
Key Points
- Travel disruption - what you need to know
- Weather map shows when Storm Chandra is hitting the UK today
Coverage ends
21:09 , Frankie Lister-FellThat’s the end of our coverage on Storm Chandra for now.
Read our story on the latest weather warnings for London here.
'Wettest January on record' Met Office says
20:48 , Frankie Lister-Fell
The Met Office has said parts of the country have have slashed daily rainfall records for January.
Their sensor in Mountbatten in Plymouth set a new record of 43.2 mm of rain, which amounts to 1.7 inches.
Cardinham had 44.4mm of rain and Dunkeswell Aerodome 52.8mm.
Homes in Ireland rescued by search teams
19:29 , Frankie Lister-Fell
The River Slaney in Enniscorthy, County Wexford, Ireland, burst its banks today causing widespread flooding.
Rescuers were seen on dingers attempting to reach stranded residents who could not leave their homes.
Around 30 homes and at least 20 businesses were impacted.
Independent Wexford County Councillor Jackser Owens said the flooding "is probably the worst I've ever seen", according to RTE.
Electricity restored to homes in Northern Ireland
18:50 , Frankie Lister-FellPower has finally been restored to residents across Northern Ireland, after 10,000 people were without electricity by 9am this morning.
Northern Ireland Electricity confirmed that by 4pm, power had been restored to the remaining 2,000 customers.
In a statement to the BBC it said: “As we carry out repairs there is a chance that customers could experience temporary outages as the team isolate areas of the network to make them safe to restore.”
Storm causes giant sinkhole on railway
18:41 , Frankie Lister-FellGreat Western Railway has said a “large sink hole” has opened on the tracks between Dawlish and Teignmouth in South Devon.
This will cause further delays to the service lasting until Thursday.
In a statement, the railway service said: “We're sorry for the impact that flooding caused by Storm Chandra is having on our customers.
“Following Storm Ingrid, a large sink hole has appeared between Dawlish and Teignmouth and this will need to be filled.”
We're sorry for the impact that flooding caused by Storm Chandra is having on our customers.
— GWR (@GWRHelp) January 27, 2026
Following Storm Ingrid, a large sink hole has appeared between Dawlish and Teignmouth and this will need to be filled.
The railway line between Exeter St Davids and Newton Abbott will… pic.twitter.com/6Z3Eha5GiD
The line between Exeter St Davids and Newton Abbott will be closed from 7pm on Wednesday 28 January until 7am on Thursday 29th January.
Various GWR services have been cancelled due to the storm.
Full list of GWR train cancellations:
- Par and Newquay
- Exeter St Davids and Taunton
- Salisbury and Southampton Central
- Castle Cary and Taunton
- Exeter St Davids and Crediton
Schools closed in parts of England
16:30 , Frankie Lister-Fell
The bad weather and staff shortages has caused scores of schools to close in southwest England, the BBC has reported.
Devon County Council said 56 schools were either fully or partially closed today. In Dorset, 12 were closed and Somerset Council said 22 were shuttered or opening at a later time.
Farm workers travelled by canoe this morning due to flooding
16:11 , Frankie Lister-FellA farm worker in Devon has commuted to work via a canoe, after flooding in the area made it impossible for him to reach his workplace.
George Darts from Darts Farm in Topsham travelled with his sisters and pet dog, Mr Chops, 800 metres across wetlands to get to work for 9am.
In a post on Instagram the farm said: “For those who can safely get to us - the Farm Shop, Yard Restaurant, The Shack and Gift Departments are open.”
All the weather warnings in place for this week
14:40 , Megan HoweBelow is a list of all the weather warnings in place for this week.
Today
Northern Ireland's County Antrim, County Down, and County Londonderry are affected by the amber wind warning, in place until 21:00
A yellow warning for rain and wind for all of Northern Ireland is in place until 23:59
A yellow warning for rain and snow is in place for parts of north-east and central Scotland until 23:59
A separate yellow rain warning is in place for southern and south-west Scotland until 15:00
A yellow warning for wind is in place for coastal areas and islands until 23:59
In London and south-east England a yellow rain warning expired at midday, and a yellow wind warning is in place until 16:00 for parts of south-west England and Wales
Wednesday
The Met Office has issued a yellow ice warning for most of Northern Ireland, excluding the eastern fringes, from 03:00 to 10:00
A yellow ice warning from 00:00 to 10:00 has been issued covering parts of central and southern Scotland, most of northern England, the Midlands, parts of Wales, London, and parts of the south-east of England
Thursday
A yellow rain warning for south-west England, including Cornwall, Devon and Bristol, has been issued for 12:00 to 23:59
River Otter reaches highest recorded level
12:27 , Megan HoweThe Environment Agency said the River Otter at Fenny Bridges, close to Ottery St Mary, has reached its highest recorded level, surpassing the previous record set in December 2000.
Levels reached 2.81m on December 7 that year but were at 2.83m at 5.45am on Tuesday, with a severe flood warning issued five minutes later due to predicted overtopping of flood defences.
A spokesman said: "Storm Chandra brought significant rainfall across Devon and Cornwall overnight, falling on already saturated ground.
"East Devon received 67mm of rain in the last 12 hours, with 88mm recorded at Whitebarrow on Dartmoor. Across south and mid Devon, rainfall averaged 40-50mm.
"There are currently 33 flood alerts and 39 flood warnings in force across Devon and Cornwall. Approximately 20 properties have flooded at various locations, with this number expected to rise."
Video: Flooding in Northern Ireland amid Storm Chandra
10:59 , Megan HoweFootage taken by a resident shows flooding in Northern Ireland this morning as roads and homes have been flooded.
Flooding in Dublin, Ireland this morning due to Storm Chandra...🌊pic.twitter.com/xMpkQnPB5Q
— Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) January 27, 2026
'It's a raging torrent' says Ottery St Mary resident
10:45 , Megan HoweA resident of Ottery St Mary has described the River Otter as a “raging torrent”, as heavy rain has caused the river to burst its banks, bringing danger to life.
The Environment Agency has placed a severe flood warning in place for Ottery St Mary, meaning residents must act to protect themselves, family members and belongings from flooding.
BBC Radio Devon listener Jackie Blackford, who lives in Ottery St Mary, said she can see the River Otter from her house.
She said: "I live on a hill overlooking part of the Otter and it's normally quite a nice little river.
"At the moment, it's a raging torrent. It is horrendous - I've never seen anything like it."
Fire crews rescue people from 25 vehicles in flood water
09:48 , Megan HoweFirefighters in Devon and Somerset rescued people from 25 vehicles in flood water on Tuesday morning.
A spokesman for Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service confirmed there were no casualties.
Axminster Fire Station posted images of multiple vehicles in flood water on Facebook.
It said: "Flood water can be deeper and moving faster than it appears. Driving through it can quickly lead to vehicles becoming stranded and lives being put at risk.
"Please do not drive through flood water - turn around and find an alternative route."
In Pictures: Storm Chandra batters the UK
09:25 , Megan Howe
Severn Bridge reopens
09:21 , Megan HoweThe M48 Severn Bridge which was closed earlier due to bad weather, has now reopened.
Traffic was being diverted over the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge.
The latest update from National Highways shows that the bridge has now reopened in both directions.
Tfl - what is the latest?
09:20 , Megan HoweMinor delays are affecting the Bakerloo and Central lines due to train cancellations.
Severe delays are impacting the Mildmay line between Willesden Junction and Clapham Junction due to faulty trains.
Good service on the rest of the line.
Amber warning lifted for south west England
09:02 , Megan HoweThe amber rain warning in south-west England has now expired, but a yellow warning remains in place until 10am.
More than 100 flood warnings are in place across England, mainly in the south west.
There is also widespread travel disruption, including flooded roads in Dorset and Devon and possible cancellations on South Western Railway.
In Pictures: Flooding in York as the River Oruse bursts its banks
08:53 , Megan Howe
More than 100 flood warnings in place for England
08:27 , Megan HoweMore than 100 flood warnings are in place for England as Storm Chandra batters the UK.
One severe warning, meaning there is a danger to life, is in place for the River Otter at Ottery St. Mary.
The Environment Agency is liaising with emergency services and local authorities to help those affected. Residents are being told to move family, pets and cars to safety and turn off gas, electricity and water if it is safe to do so.
More than 300 schools closed in Northern Ireland
08:10 , Megan HoweOver 300 schools and colleges have closed in Northern Ireland as Storm Chandra batters the UK, with NI bearing the brunt.
An amber warning for wind is in place, while a yellow rainfall alert is impacting counties Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry and Tyrone.
In the next 48 hours, 50mm of rain is expected in many areas and more than 100mm of rain could fall over high ground towards the east.
Ferry sailings between Belfast and Liverpool were cancelled on Monday evening, with further cancellations affecting several scheduled services from Belfast and Larne on Tuesday.
Belfast City Airport has cancelled more than two dozen flights and passengers are advised to check the status of their flight before travelling to the airport.
Travel disruption - what you need to know
07:47 , Megan HoweTravel disruption is expected across the UK today, effecting rail and roads.
Below is a look at how the weather could impact your morning commute:
TfL:
Minor delays on the Central line due to train cancellations
Good service on all other lines
We will issue an update before rush hour at 9am
Rail:
Avanti West Coast is reporting disruption between Manchester, Crewe and London Euston due to a failure in the electricity supply and a tree blocking the track. Trains may be cancelled, delayed or revised
A landslip between Horsham and Dorking means that trains are unable to run between these stations, affecting the route between London Victoria and Horsham
South Western Railway (SWR) is warning of the risk of cancellations, delays or revisions to timetables across the whole of its network
Lines between Salisbury and Southampton Central, Eastleigh and Fareham, and at Sway are flooded and blocked
Line closure between Par and Newquay in Cornwall due to flooding, Great Western Railway says, as well as closures between Exeter St David's and Barnstaple and Okehampton
Services are also cancelled between Castle Cary and Taunton due to flooding, with the line between Salisbury and Romsey flooded as well
Transport for Wales says that a tree is blocking the railway near Llanbister Road, which means trains between Swansea and Shrewsbury could be cancelled in both directions
Roads:
The M48 Severn Bridge is closed this morning with traffic between England and Wales diverted over the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge
The Humber Bridge in England is shut to high-sided vehicles due to wind
Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service say the A351 is closed between Norden Park and Ride and Corfe Castle due to flooding
Devon County Council say there are blocked roads at several "key locations" and is urging people to check their routes before travelling
Forecasters are warning that flooding and travel disruption are likely and to check your routes before heading out for the day
Weather map shows when Storm Chandra is hitting UK today as torrential rain soaks London
07:26 , Megan HoweStorm Chandra is bringing strong winds, heavy rain and snow across much of the UK on Tuesday.
The latest winter storm - named by the Met Office on Monday - is bringing multiple weather warnings to parts of the UK including London.
A yellow alert for heavy rain for the South East, including much of the capital, came into force at midnight and runs until midday on Tuesday.
Map shows when Storm Chandra is hitting UK today as torrential rain soaks London
Weather map showing all of the warnings in place for the UK
07:08 , Megan HoweYellow and amber weather warnings for heavy rain and strong winds are in place across the UK.
In London, 15 to 25mm of rain is expected widely, with 50mm of rain expected on higher ground.
Temperatures will remain low, reaching up to 10C this afternoon.
Commuters will battle strong winds and heavy rain in the capital this morning, but it It looks unlikely that it will snow.
Forecasters warn of flooding and travel disruption brought by Storm Chandra
07:01 , Megan HoweStorm Chandra has brought travel disruption and flooding as strong winds and heavy rain hit much of the UK.
The M48 Severn Bridge was closed on Tuesday morning with The Humber Bridge shut to high-sided vehicles due to wind.
Snow was also forecast in parts of the country as a number of weather warnings came into force.
National Rail issued a warning that "poor weather may affect South Western Railway services until the end of the day", while traffic between England and Wales was being diverted over the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge.
Gwent Police said that the A40 was flooded between Abergavenny and Raglan, while sections of several roads in Dorset, Somerset and east Devon were closed due to flooding.
Forecasters had warned that flooding and travel disruption were likely with significant snow across higher ground in some northern parts of England and Scotland.
Several weather warnings were in force on Tuesday, including amber warnings for south-west England and the eastern coast of Northern Ireland for rain and wind respectively.
Good morning
06:57 , Megan HoweGood morning and welcome to The Standard’s liveblog on Storm Chandra which has swept across the UK, bringing flooding and travel disruption.
Follow along for the latest updates.
