This live blog has now ended.
A summary of today's developments
- Three people in England and one in Ireland have died from Storm Eunice. A man in his 20s died after a collision between a car he was travelling in and a tree in Alton, Hampshire. One man is in hospital with “serious injuries”.
- A woman in her 30s has died after a tree fell on a car in Haringey, north London, on Friday afternoon, the Metropolitan police said.
- Merseyside police said a man in his 50s died in Netherton, Merseyside, after debris struck the windscreen of a vehicle he was travelling in, .
- Earlier, a council worker in his 60s was killed by a falling tree while clearing storm debris in County Wexford, Ireland.
- Eunice is now making its way across mainland Europe, and is causing devastation there too. In the Netherlands, four people were killed by fallen trees, Reuters reports, along with the death of a British man in Belgium.
- UK government officials are “relieved” that Storm Eunice is not a “worst-case scenario”, according to one report this evening. ITV News’s deputy political editor Anushka Asthana tweeted that there is relief in Whitehall that the storm has not proven to be a severe as planned for.
The front page of Saturday’s Guardian newspaper:
Guardian front page, Saturday 19 February 2022: At least four dead as worst storm in decades roars in pic.twitter.com/6FfPUJpAAI
— The Guardian (@guardian) February 18, 2022
An unsettled #Saturday for many with further strong winds and rain 🌧️
— Met Office (@metoffice) February 18, 2022
Check out the #4cast below 👇 pic.twitter.com/xij1gXSUO0
Off the Belgian coast, two ships, one tanker and one cargo, were at one point adrift and got stuck in a windfarm, Reuters reports.
The cargo was safely towed away, without causing any damage, the tanker, carrying 31,000 tons of fuel, was still waiting for help.
Summary: Eunice kills four in UK and Ireland, and five on mainland Europe
Eunice is now making its way across mainland Europe, and is causing devastation there too. In the Netherlands, four people were killed by fallen trees, Reuters reports, along with the death of a Briton in Belgium. Along with the deaths in UK and Ireland, it brings the total to nine.
You can read about the devastation in mainland Europe here:
… while chaos in UK and Ireland is covered here:
Updated
A 79-year-old British man died in the Belgian town of Ypres this afternoon after being pushed from his boat by the strong winds of Storm Eunice, according to Reuters and Sky News.
The man was pulled from the water and taken to hospital where he died from his injuries.
Updated
#StormEunice has brought extremely strong winds across many parts of the UK
— Met Office (@metoffice) February 18, 2022
Here's a provisional roundup of the highest gusts recorded during the day as Eunice passed through ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/gSr1VRhGIr
Peray Ahmet, leader of Haringey Council in north London, said: “I was deeply saddened to receive the news that a member of the public has died after a tree fell on a car in Highgate.
“On behalf of everyone at Haringey Council I express my deepest sympathies to her family at this incredibly difficult time.
“Our teams are working tirelessly to clear fallen trees and debris and to secure any structures that pose a risk to the public.
“I urge all residents to follow official advice and be alert to the dangers that come with the extreme weather that continues to affect the borough.”
Four deaths confirmed from Storm Eunice
- Three people in England and one in Ireland has died from Storm Eunice. A man in his 20s died after a collision between a car he was travelling in and a tree in Alton, Hampshire. One man is in hospital with “serious injuries”.
- A woman in her 30s has died after a tree fell on a car in Haringey, north London, on Friday afternoon, the Metropolitan police said.
- Merseyside police said a man in his 50s died in Netherton, Merseyside, after debris struck the windscreen of a vehicle he was travelling in, .
- Earlier, a council worker in his 60s was killed by a falling tree while clearing storm debris in County Wexford, Ireland.
Updated
Man dies after collision between vehicle and tree in Hampshire
Police were called at 11.49am to a collision involving a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter pick-up and a tree in Old Odiham Road.
Two men, in their 20s, were in the vehicle. The passenger was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver has been taken to Southampton General Hospital with serious injuries. Hampshire Police said it is appealing for witnesses. “The next of kin for both men have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers,” a spokesperson for the force added. “Officers are investigating the exact circumstances of the incident. “Anyone who witnessed the incident or who has dash-cam footage should call 101, quoting the reference 44220068638.”
West of England Metro mayor Dan Norris promised to plant three trees for every one that falls because of Storm Eunice.
Norris said: “The West of England will need more trees if we are to reach our ambitious target of net-zero carbon by 2030.
“While Storm Eunice has caused misery and disruption to daily life, if it can be used as a springboard to get more trees in our region, that would bring a silver lining to its dark storm clouds.”
Updated
In Cornwall at least 27,000 properties are without power.
In Monmouthshire highway crews have cleared more than 50 fallen trees which blocked roads, PA reports.
Martyn Alvey, Cornwall Council’s cabinet member for the environment, said: “Storm Eunice has left in its wake a lot of damage and disruption - including power outages for many households across Cornwall.
“While the power companies are doing everything they can to get households back on grid, and the council and our partners are working hard to clean up the debris and damage left by the storm, there will be residents who this evening don’t have power at home.
“We are encouraging people in Cornwall to look out for their neighbours who are vulnerable and might be struggling this weekend.”
John Curtin, executive director of operations with the Environment Agency, said: “We are not through it yet. We have still got to see Storm Eunice go to the far parts of the coast - Cumbria and Kent.
“Then we will be turning our eyes to rivers, especially the River Severn. If you are anywhere near a river, please check your flood risk.”
He added: “Every storm seems to be breaking records.
I have been doing this for 30 years and the weather seems to be just getting worse and worse.
I think this is showing climate change in action.”
Updated
Police have provided more details on the man in his 50s who died in Netherton, Merseyside, after debris struck the windscreen of a vehicle he was travelling in.
Merseyside police said: “Officers were contacted at just after 2.10pm to reports that debris had struck the windscreen of a vehicle at Switch Island/Dunningsbridge Road.
“A male passenger in the vehicle was injured. Paramedics attended at the scene but the man, who is in his 50s, was sadly pronounced dead.
“The male driver of the vehicle was not injured.
“The passenger’s next of kin have been made aware and are being supported by specially trained officers and inquiries into the incident are ongoing.”
Updated
Actor Valerie Leon has spoken of her “shocking” experience after narrowly avoiding a falling tree brought down by Storm Eunice’s winds.
Leon, 78, is best known for her roles in six films of the Carry On series as well as James Bond films The Spy Who Loved Me and Never Say Never Again.
The actress said an uprooted tree crushed a car only 20 feet from where she had been outside her home in the London borough of Hounslow.
It was like a horror movie,” she told PA Media.
“I was worried about the trees because they’re all waving around all over the place, (so) I decided to move my car.
“It was after I got out and I saw a load of people up the street - there was a crowd... and that’s when I wandered up and saw this other tree - with huge, huge roots.”
Updated
Man dies after debris hits windscreen of vehicle he was travelling in
A man in his 50s has died in Netherton, Merseyside, after debris struck the windscreen of a vehicle he was travelling in, Merseyside Police said.
APPEAL | We are today (Fri) appealing for witnesses after the death of a man in his 50s after debris struck a vehicle at #SwitchIsland. Anyone who witnessed the incident or has dashcam footage is asked to call 0151 777 5747 or DM @MerPolTraffic More here: https://t.co/AELfYfLokt pic.twitter.com/8OoypwbHms
— Mer Pol South Sefton (@MerpolSthSefton) February 18, 2022
The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has said:
My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the woman who tragically lost her life and the man who was seriously injured in Highgate this afternoon.
I’d like to pay tribute to all those in the emergency services who have been working tirelessly to keep us safe and urge all Londoners to remain cautious and avoid taking risks as this storm passes.
Updated
Woman killed by falling tree in north London
A woman in her 30s has died after a tree fell on a car in Haringey, north London, on Friday afternoon during Storm Eunice, the Metropolitan Police said.
Officers were called shortly after 4pm to reports of a tree falling on a car in Muswell Hill Road, Haringey, near the junction with South Close.
The passenger in the car – a woman in her 30s – was pronounced dead at the scene.
Officers said her family had been informed.
The driver, a man in his 30s, has been taken to hospital but his condition is not believed to be life-threatening.
Updated
Preston train station has closed to passengers for the rest of Friday, with rail engineers inspecting sections of metal roof panelling that came off due to the winds.
Shirley Ross, station manager, said:
Due to multiple weather-related incidents around the network including Preston Station as a result of Storm Eunice, all Avanti West Coast services are now cancelled for the rest of Friday.
Please do not come to the station.
That’s it from me, Tom Ambrose, for today. My colleague Nadeem Badshah will be along shortly to continue bringing you all the latest weather news.
UK government 'relieved' Storm Eunice did not reach worst case scenario despite widespread damage
Government officials are “relieved” that Storm Eunice is not a “worst-case scenario”, according to one report this evening.
ITV News’s deputy political editor Anushka Asthana tweeted that there is relief in Whitehall that the storm has not proven to be a severe as planned for.
She tweeted:
Govt officials are relieved that storm Eunice is not the worst-case scenario they were planning for. 9 “severe flood warnings” have all been downgraded but still 46 general flooding warnings - cd rise to 250.
And red warnings for wind still in place. More flood barriers going up.
Govt officials are relieved that storm Eunice is not the worst-case scenario they were planning for. 9 "severe flood warnings" have all been downgraded but still 46 general flooding warnings - cd rise to 250. And red warnings for wind still in place. More flood barriers going up.
— Anushka Asthana (@AnushkaAsthana) February 18, 2022
Updated
Network Rail has shared some more footage of the extreme weather conditions it has been facing today.
Here is another clip, this time of a building roof being blown onto the tracks at Banbury...
⚠️ Another severe example of why many services across Britain have been cancelled today.
— Network Rail (@networkrail) February 18, 2022
📹 Footage captured by @chilternrailway shows why they've had to suspend services
The roof of a building blew onto tracks at #Banbury
ℹ️ Do not travel today#StormEunice @NetworkRailCML pic.twitter.com/1FrkTmZr0w
More windy weather on Saturday could hamper clear-up efforts in the aftermath of Storm Eunice, the Met Office has said.
While gusts are not forecast to be as strong as Friday’s, their timing after what is expected to be a major storm might cause issues, the forecaster warned this evening.
A yellow weather warning for wind has been issued for 6am on Saturday until 6pm, affecting the south and south west coast of England, Herefordshire and much of Wales.
Wind speeds are expected to get up to 60mph through the Bristol Channel and along the south coast of England, and around 50mph inland, PA Media reported.
The Met Office said:
The winds themselves could cause minor disruption; but given the expected impact from Storm Eunice on Friday, these conditions on Saturday may hamper any clear-up operations.
Disruption to travel could continue early on Saturday, as efforts are made to get services back to normal. Flight cancellations on Friday will mean many planes will be in the wrong place so delays could continue.
The Rail Delivery Group urged people to check before travelling over the weekend “as disruption will continue into tomorrow”. It said Network Rail has deployed extra engineers to check affected lines for damage before getting services back up and running “as quickly as possible”.
Here is the dramatic moment a tree collapsed onto a railway line in Beattock, Scotland earlier today...
⚡️ Here's what we're up against. This is the moment the tree fell on to the railway at Beattock, damaging our overhead lines. #StormEunice
— Network Rail Scotland (@NetworkRailSCOT) February 18, 2022
📺 Footage courtesy of @railcamlive pic.twitter.com/IzYrPUsmfK
Network Rail Scotland said in a tweet: “Here’s what we’re up against. This is the moment the tree fell on to the railway at Beattock, damaging our overhead lines.”
Mainland Europe is now beginning to bear the brunt of Storm Eunice after it whipped through the UK on Friday bringing chaos to millions.
From England, the record-breaking gales have begun moving across the continent hitting Belgium, the Netherlands, parts of northern France and are expected to reach Denmark and Germany on Friday evening.
Dutch authorities issued a red weather warning and hundreds of flights were cancelled while trains were due to be halted on Friday afternoon. In Amsterdam one person was reported to have been killed after being hit by a falling tree. Pieces of the roof of the ADO The Hague football club stadium were blown off, authorities said.
Belgian authorities appealed to citizens to only venture out in an emergency, while in the northern French province of Brittany four-metre-high waves were reported and rail travel was curtailed.
In Denmark, trains were ordered to reduce their speed and bridges and roads have been closed in preparation for record winds.
In Germany, where the storm has been named Zeynep by meteorologists it is expected to reach speeds of up to 160 kilometres (100 miles) an hour and to last into the early hours of Saturday morning.
In addition, a thunderstorm is expected to develop within the storm, meteorologists said. The country, along with neighbouring Poland and Czech Republic, is still reeling from storm Ylenia which hit on Wednesday night, uprooting trees, overturning lorries and causing three deaths in Germany - including that of a 37-year-old man whose car was hit by a tree - and hundreds of thousands of houses to be without electricity.
Updated
Here is some good news for those of you still hoping to order in your Friday night takeaways.
News just in from my colleague Sarah Butler: JustEat and UberEats said they were restarting services on Friday afternoon as weather warnings were downgraded.
Three people have been admitted to hospital after a collision between a car and a fallen tree in Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, during Storm Eunice.
Emergency services were called to Farleigh Wick at 12.20pm and all three occupants of the vehicle were rescued by the fire service, Avon and Somerset Police said.
The driver is in a serious condition, the force said.
The road is expected to remain closed for several hours and motorists are asked to avoid the area, PA Media reported.
Meanwhile, the Environment Agency’s executive director of operations, John Curtin, said approximately 18,000 homes had been protected by flood defences during Storm Eunice.
Speaking to reporters beside demountable defences along the River Severn in Bewdley, Worcestershire, Curtin said:
With Storm Eunice our biggest concern was the tidal risk. We had high tides, plus Storm Eunice pushing a surge up.
It hit the South West first, it’s now rolling across the south coast... but luckily our defences have held it back and we think about 18,000 homes have been protected by Environment Agency defences.
Person killed by falling tree in Netherlands - report
A person has been killed in Amsterdam, Netherlands, after being hit by a falling tree, Reuters news agency has reported.
Meanwhile, parts of the roof of the ADO Den Haag football club stadium were blown off as Storm Eunice battered the Netherlands on Friday, Dutch authorities said.
Here is a video from Twitter of the stadium roof.
Oh damn, the stadium of @ADODenHaag is letting loose pic.twitter.com/VpJ96VU9hI
— DANNYonPC (@DANNYonPC) February 18, 2022
Updated
The Port of Dover has reopened to shipping and some ferry services after closing earlier on Friday due to Storm Eunice.
A spokesperson said: “The port and ferry operators will now continue to work together to ensure that services are running with minimal disruption.”
Meanwhile, the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge over the River Severn has reopened, but the M48 Severn Bridge crossing remains closed.
“This bridge requires a more detailed inspection than its newer counterpart and we still require wind speeds to drop further before this can be done,” a spokesman for the Severn Crossings said.
A tower at a power station appears to have collapsed amid fierce winds.
Grain Power Station in Kent has been taken offline after one of its three stacks is believed to have toppled.
Uniper UK, which owns the gas-fired power station, told PA Media there have been no casualties and there is no risk to the local community.
Pictures on social media appear to show significant damage to Grain Power Station, with one of the plant’s three towers broken near its base.
The middle stack at Grain Power Station appears to have gone? Where there were three, there is now two! #StormEunice (Photo Credit: Katie Foord #Queenborough) pic.twitter.com/80Jg3q6IK8
— Cllr Cameron Beart (@CllrCABeart) February 18, 2022
The £500 million power station, located just over a mile from the coast, has operational capacity of 1,275 megawatts - enough to supply one million homes.
Good afternoon. I’m Tom Ambrose and I’ll be bringing you all the latest Storm Eunice news over the next few hours.
Let’s start with the news that the National Theatre has cancelled its performance of Wuthering Heights as Storm Eunice brings disruption to the live sector.
Shows by comedian Joe Lycett and immersive production company Secret Cinema planned for Friday night have also been scrapped at short notice, PA Media reported.
The National Theatre on London’s South Bank said it was “sorry to announce” its stage adaptation of the 1847 novel by Emily Brontë would not take place on Friday.
“We’re so sorry for the inconvenience and plan to resume performances on 19 Feb,” the theatre tweeted.
We're sorry to announce tonight's performance of Wuthering Heights (Fri 18 Feb) is cancelled, due to Storm Eunice.
— National Theatre (@NationalTheatre) February 18, 2022
Box Office are currently contacting ticket holders affected. We’re so sorry for the inconvenience and plan to resume performances on 19 Feb.
The stand-up comic and presenter Lycett said he was “trapped in London” and unable to travel to Birmingham for his show at the Midlands Arts Centre.
He added on Twitter: “The new date is 1st March and they should be in touch with ticket holders soon. Stay safe everyone!”
Unfortunately due to the storm I'm trapped in London and have had to postpone my show at the @mac_birmingham this evening. The new date is 1st March and they should be in touch with ticket holders soon. Stay safe everyone!
— Joe Lycett (@joelycett) February 18, 2022
Secret Cinema said it had cancelled its Bridgerton-inspired show, which had been due to take place at a “stunning indoor ballroom in Wembley” on Friday night.
“Due to severe weather conditions and following the Government advice to stay at home, we have to cancel tonight’s show of Secret Bridgerton Ball to ensure the safety of our customers and staff,” a statement said.
Updated
Afternoon summary
Here is a brief summary of today’s Storm Eunice developments as I hand over to my colleague Tom Ambrose.
- A council worker was killed by a falling tree while clearing debris caused by Storm Eunice in Ireland. The man, in his 60s, was struck by the tree in the North Wexford area and pronounced dead at the scene. He is the first known fatality linked to Storm Eunice.
- The highest gust ever monitored in England has been provisionally recorded on the Isle of Wight, the Met Office said. Winds of 122mph were recorded at the very exposed site of Needles, on the Isle of Wight, on Friday morning. Hurricane-force winds – those above 74mph – have been recorded across large parts of south-west England and south Wales.
- Emergency services have declared major incidents in and around London due to the huge scale of 999 calls. London fire brigade said it had received more calls in two-and-a-half hours on Friday than it usually does in a day. South Central ambulance service, which covers a large part of the home counties, said it too was struggling to respond to the huge volume of calls.
- At least three people were taken to hospital with serious injuries in incidents potentially linked to Storm Eunice. A woman suffered serious head injuries after being hit by “falling roof tiles/roof materials” in Oxfordshire, while two men were taken to hospital in separate incidents in south London.
- Around 1,000 people were evacuated from London’s O2 Arena after strong winds tore a huge hole in its roof. Nobody was injured despite what firefighters called a “partial roof collapse” at one of the country’s leading entertainment venues, which opened to the public as the Millennium Dome in 2000.
- Travel across the UK ground to a halt with more than 400 flights cancelled, train lines blocked and motorists urged to stay at home. A rare “do not travel” alert was issued across railways in England and Wales, as seven operators suspended all services.
Updated
This footage shows people being blown to the ground in Croydon, south London, earlier today.
These people get blown over by the wind as Storm Eunice batters people to the ground in Croydon, South London.#StormEunice pic.twitter.com/ZUM63K93Ae
— talkRADIO (@talkRADIO) February 18, 2022
Nearly 400 flights in and out of the UK have been cancelled today due to Storm Eunice, according to data provided to the Guardian.
The aviation analytics firm, Cirium, said 261 inbound flights and 120 outbound had been cancelled as of about 3pm on Friday.
A total of 81 flights were cancelled at London Heathrow, 61 at London City airport, 38 at Manchester airport, 27 at London Gatwick and 17 at Glasgow International airport.
Emergency services declare major incidents
The London fire brigade has declared a major incident in response to the volume of 999 calls being taken in relation to Storm Eunice.
The service said it received 550 calls between 10.30am and 1pm – more than the average usually taken in a 24-hour period.
It said declaring a major incident allowed it to “focus our resources”.
We have declared a major incident in response to the volume of 999 calls being taken about #StormEunice related incidents. Firefighters are still meeting the needs of our communities, but declaring a major incident allows us to focus our resources. https://t.co/wF2DTSvxCy pic.twitter.com/NqoztV335a
— London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) February 18, 2022
Meanwhile South Central ambulance service, which covers a large part of the home counties around London, has just declared a “critical incident” due to the demand on its staff:
⚠️⚠️SCAS DECLARES CRITICAL INCIDENT DUE TO STORM EUNICE⚠️⚠️
— South Central Ambulance Service (@SCAS999) February 18, 2022
SCAS has declared a critical incident as a result of the demand on its 999 service combined with travel disruption from the impact of Storm Eunice.
More here including how public can help us: https://t.co/jhDc80qJJ9 pic.twitter.com/goX6vA9HVm
Updated
The roof of the £1bn Tottenham Hotspur stadium is moving up and down with the strong gusts whipping through London.
The 62,850-capacity stadium, which is the third-biggest in England, opened in 2019 and is designed to withstand major storms. Without doubt, Storm Eunice is its first real test:
The roof of the @SpursOfficial football ground is currently pulsating up and down in the wind!
— Paul McNamara (@PGMcNamara) February 18, 2022
(Turn your phone landscape and look at the suspended lighting rigs)#StormEunice pic.twitter.com/wzXTpzH4K3
Updated
PA Media reports that around 1,000 people were evacuated from the O2 arena when its roof was damaged in Friday’s storm.
London fire brigade said firefighters had been called to a “partial roof collapse” at the venue. There were no reports of any injuries.
Station commander Chris Kamara, who was at the scene, told the news agency: “Firefighters cordoned off the area to ensure no one was injured by any further falling debris.
“There has been no actual collapse or structural damage to the building, but due to the nature of the canvas material which covers the O2, it has come loose in high winds and looks quite dramatic. Crews have made the scene safe and the O2 is now closed until further notice.”
Updated
Readers from across southern England have been sending in pictures of trees coming down and causing damage.
Ali was driving along the A34 in Hampshire, at about 1130 this morning, when a tree fell across the road, just north of the M3 and the A33 junction. She says though there were no serious accidents, the white van hit the tree and smashed a radiator.
In Bracknell, Berkshire, Steve Moody says a mature 20 metre tree crashed on to his garage, just before midday, damaging both his cars.
And Chris sent in this picture of a tree down in Twickenham, west London.
If you would like to get in touch to share your stories or pictures, you can do so here. However, please do think about your safety first.
London ambulance service has said two people have been injured in separate incidents potentially linked to Storm Eunice.
A man was taken to hospital after being struck by falling debris in Waterloo, while another is receiving hospital treatment after being struct by a tree in Streatham, south London, shortly before 11am.
We were called at 12.03pm today to reports of a person injured by falling debris on Waterloo Road, SE1.
— London Ambulance Service 💙 (@Ldn_Ambulance) February 18, 2022
We sent a number of resources to the scene. A man was treated at the scene and taken to a hospital as a priority. pic.twitter.com/YJgaiTBnhj
Updated
O2 has released a statement about the damage to the O2 Arena caused by Storm Eunice.
The Fugees were supposed to be playing the 20,000-capacity venue on Friday night but that was cancelled last month and is not connected to Storm Eunice.
The next gig there seems to be the London rapper Dave on Monday night. There will surely be significant doubt about whether that can go ahead.
An O2 spokesperson told my colleague Jem Bartholomew: “Due to today’s adverse weather conditions, we can confirm that there has been some damage caused to the tent fabric in our roof at the O2. The affected areas have been cleared and the O2 will remain closed for the rest of the day. The safety of our visitors remains of paramount importance, and we will continue to assess the ongoing situation and act accordingly.”
[This post was updated at 15:21 to make clear that the cancellation of the Fugees concert was not connected to Storm Eunice]
Updated
The man who was killed by a falling tree in Ireland was a council worker who died while responding to damage caused by Storm Eunice, his employer has said.
Wexford county council said: “It is with deep regret and sadness that Wexford county council confirms that one of our employees was fatally injured earlier today in a workplace accident.
“The accident occurred as the employee attended the scene of a fallen tree in the North Wexford area.”
The man, aged in his 60s, was injured as a result of the falling tree and later pronounced dead at the scene, An Garda Siochana said. His body was taken to Waterford Univesity hospital for a postmortem examination.
Wexford county council said: “The employee’s family, An Garda Siochana and the Health and Safety Authority have been informed.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the employee’s family, work colleagues and friends at this very difficult time.”
Updated
A man in his 60s has been killed as a result of a falling tree in the south east of Ireland as Storm Eunice swept the country.
A statement from the Gardai said:
“Gardaí and emergency services attended a fatal incident this morning, 18th February 2022 in the Ballythomas area of Co. Wexford.
It is understood that a man, aged in his 60s, was injured as a result of a falling tree. The man was later pronounced deceased at the scene.
“The body of the man will be removed to Waterford University hospital where a postmortem will take place in due course.
“The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) have been notified and are due to attend the scene”.
Updated
Man killed by falling tree in Ireland, police say
A man has been killed in County Wexford, Ireland, after being struck by a falling tree, police have said.
The Irish broadcaster, RTE, is reporting that the man was clearing debris when he was hit by the tree in the Ballythomas area, close to the Wexford-Wicklow border.
The man would be the first known fatality linked to Storm Eunice in the UK and Ireland.
Updated
Woman suffers serious head injuries due to falling tiles
A woman has suffered serious head injuries after she was hit by falling roof debris in Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire, an ambulance service has said.
South Central Ambulance Service said it received a number of 999 calls at around 10.45am on Friday reporting that a woman had “been struck by falling roof tiles/roof materials” in the high winds on Station Road in Henley-on-Thames.
The ambulance service added: “We sent an ambulance and the Thames Valley air ambulance emergency response vehicle to the incident. Following initial treatment at the scene, the patient has been taken to the major trauma centre at the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford in a serious condition.”
Updated
This video shows a large tree collapsing in the town of Bude, Cornwall, as a result of strong winds.
Tom Cox, a 25-year-old who has lived in the town his whole life, told the PA news agency that the tree had been a “big part of Bude”.
“Everyone is devastated,” he added, saying the town’s fountain had also been damaged, along with a wall and bench.
All trains in and out of London Euston cancelled
Network Rail has stopped all trains running in and out of London Euston due to Storm Eunice.
The organisation said:
“All lines are suspended affecting services between Euston and Milton Keynes until further notice. The message to passengers is ‘DO NOT TRAVEL’ today as the railway network is being battered by gale force winds.
“Rapid response teams are clearing fallen trees and debris which are blocking lines in multiple locations on the West Coast main line.”
James Dean, Network Rail’s West Coast South route director, said: “Hundreds of engineers are out in horrendous conditions trying to maintain and protect the railway from the onslaught of this major storm. Because of Storm Eunice’s severity we’ve had no choice but to close some routes as it’s too unsafe to run trains.”
Some more pictures from around the UK as Storm Eunice blows through:
Updated
The Port of Dover has announced it is temporarily closed to shipping due to Storm Eunice “in the interests of customer and staff safety”.
— Port of Dover Travel (@PoD_travelnews) February 18, 2022
The BBC has footage of a large church spire crashing to the ground in Wells, Somerset, about an hour ago.
#STORMEUNICE It's a miracle that this sizeable & very heavy spire tip, with windvane & lightning conductor, didn't hit anyone as it came crashing-down at St Thomas Church in #Wells, #Somerset around noon. Video captured by Matthew Hodson (many thanks for sending to @BBCBristol) pic.twitter.com/fq2KfvpWBR
— Ian Fergusson (@fergieweather) February 18, 2022
More than 40,000 people in the south-west of England and Wales suffered power cuts on Friday, Western Power Distribution said.
The main issues its field teams are facing are falling trees and flying debris, which are bringing down overhead lines. Fallen trees are also creating difficulties in getting to faults.
❗️⛔️ Please avoid the A390 Lostwithiel to West Taphouse road which is currently closed due to a fallen tree blocking the route. pic.twitter.com/Fvb4dzi4wc
— @cornwallcouncil (@CornwallCouncil) February 18, 2022
Updated
London's O2 Arena damaged by Storm Eunice
Part of the roof of London’s O2 Arena, one of the UK’s leading entertainment venues, has been “shredded”.
Video shows the significant damage caused by Storm Eunice as winds topped 50mph in London:
— Ben Hubbard (@BJFHubbard) February 18, 2022
The footage was filmed by Ben Hubbard from a hotel next door to the 20,000-capacity venue, which was originally known as the Millennium Dome when it opened in 2000.
He says in the video: “In the last 45 minutes it started off as one small panel [being torn off], it went right up to the centre, now it’s in the second, third and now fourth panel have been completely shredded.
“I’m not sure if there’s anything that can be done. This is serious damage.”
Updated
The roof of a lifeboat station has been blown off and is balancing on power cables in Sennen Cove, in Cornwall, police have said.
Devon and Cornwall police said officers were on the scene and urged people to stay away:
#LatestNews Officers are currently at Sennen Cove #Penzance where the roof of the lifeboat station has come off and is resting on power cables.
— Devon & Cornwall Police (@DC_Police) February 18, 2022
Due to safety reasons, please do not attend the area whilst Western Power work with us to make the area safe. #StormEunice pic.twitter.com/lVNTd34iKJ
Updated
Midday summary
Here is a quick summary of the main developments so far as Storm Eunice blows across the UK:
- The highest gust ever monitored in England has been provisionally recorded on the Isle of Wight, the Met Office said. Winds of 122mph were recorded at the very exposed site of Needles, on the Isle of Wight, on Friday morning. Hurricane-force winds – those above 74mph – have been recorded across large parts of south-west England and south Wales.
- The UK government is due to hold a Cobra emergency committee meeting this afternoon. Ministers said troops were on standby to help with the recovery effort although it is too soon to accurately assess the extent of the damage caused by Storm Eunice.
- Dozens of flights have been cancelled along with widespread disruption to trains, ferry crossings and road networks as high winds, rain and snow spread across the UK. British Airways said a “significant” number of flights had been cancelled, while all trains in Wales were stopped on Friday. Millions of people have been told not to leave their homes unless absolutely necessary.
- More than 73,000 homes, farms and businesses in Ireland were without power as the storm felled trees and blocked roads. Counties Cork, Kerry and the south of the country have borne the brunt of the major storm so far.
-
Snow has brought disruption to Scotland with reports of about 150 schools closed. Police in Aberdeenshire warned of a “large number of vehicles” struggling to travel on a major A-road. A yellow Met Office weather warning for snow is in place across most of Scotland until 6pm on Friday, while a yellow wind warning covers most of Dumfries and Galloway.
Storm Eunice brings provisionally highest gust ever recorded in England
The wind gust of 122mph at the Needles on the Isle of Wight is provisionally the highest gust ever recorded in England, the Met Office has said.
The Needles on the Isle of Wight recorded a wind gust of 122 mph this morning
— Met Office (@metoffice) February 18, 2022
This is provisionally the highest gust ever recorded in England#StormEunice ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/aNYMnFbMvT
Updated
My colleague Nicola Slawson has been looking at the weather phenomenon known as a sting jet, as experts believe one could form in the UK on Friday.
A sting jet is a small area of very intense winds within a storm’s cyclone that are hard to predict, according to Matt Priestley, a research scientist at the University of Exeter who examines extratropical cyclones.
He said:
“They’re generally about 10 to 20 kilometres wide and are generated by specific instabilities within the flight lines of storms and cause very high wind speeds.
“They’re not a feature of all storms. They’re often just a feature of the most intense ones like Storm Eunice. The fact that they are such small scale but can have such high wind speeds makes forecasting them very, very difficult.”
Sting jets can cause a phenomena whereby a narrow area of land is hit by very intense winds, which could reach 100mph or more, but 30 miles away there may be much slower wind speeds associated with a normal storm, of about 60-70mph.
This means the damage from a sting jet can be very localised. They usually only last for about three or four hours, whereas the main storm may last a lot longer.
I’ve just received an updated statement from British Airways confirming that a “significant” number of flights have been cancelled. A quick scan of the BA website shows that flights due to depart Heathrow to Oslo, Belfast, Geneva, Paris, Dusseldorf, Faro and Verona are among those cancelled this afternoon.
The airline says:
Due to the extreme weather conditions across the UK and resulting restrictions on the number of aircraft that can take-off and land each hour, we, like other airlines, are experiencing significant disruption.
We’re operating as many flights as we can and putting on larger aircraft where possible. Customers due to travel on a short-haul service today can rebook for free on ba.com. Those whose flights have been cancelled are being contacted to offer options including a full refund.
Safety is always our priority and we’re encouraging customers to check the latest flight information on ba.com before heading to the airport.
Updated
Both Severn bridges in south Wales are closed, believed to be the first time this has happened because of wind speeds.
A spokesperson for the bridges, run by National Highways, said: “For what we believe is the first time due to wind speeds both the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge and M48 Severn Bridge are closed to all traffic. Traffic management teams are heading to site to initiate the closure of the M4. Please do not travel to the location.”
That means a very difficult journey between Wales and England.
https://t.co/ElZKRaDCoy
— The Severn Bridges (@2SevernBridges) February 18, 2022
Given the closure of both bridges this account will not be monitored whilst we physically ensure all the required actions are undertaken. Further updates will be issued as soon as we can. Thank you for your patience and stay safe.
A lesser-reported impact of Storm Eunice is the snow. Scotland seems to be the worst affected so far, with more than 70 schools across Aberdeenshire and Moray closed and police warning against all-but-essential travel in the north-east of the country.
The Met Office has just issued a yellow weather warning for snow for parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland until 6pm tonight:
⚠️ Yellow weather warning updated ⚠️
— Met Office (@metoffice) February 18, 2022
Snow across parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland
Valid until 1800 Friday
Latest info 👉 https://t.co/QwDLMfRBfs
Stay #WeatherAware⚠️ pic.twitter.com/bzQ59RNFge
The 100mph winds of Storm Eunice have brought comparisons with the Great Storm of 1987, which caused mayhem and disruption not seen for 250 years.
Like most media outlets, the Guardian’s first report of what we now refer to as the Great Storm described it as a hurricane. We also said 13 people had died. In fact, 18 people died and the storm, according to the Met Office, wasn’t officially a hurricane as it did not originate in the tropics.
As well as causing loss of life with winds gusting at up to 100mph, there was massive devastation across the country, with about 15m trees being blown down.
You can read our front page below:
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Updated
If aeroplane-watching in a storm is your thing (and, I’ll be honest, I can see the appeal) then someone is livestreaming flights landing at London Heathrow right now.
As you’ll see, jets are being buffeted all over the place by wind shear – wind that suddenly changes velocity or direction – with gales that have already topped 50mph in the capital.
Updated
Winds of up to 110mph have been recorded at the Needles lighthouse on the Isle of Wight. As BBC Weather make clear, this is one of the most exposed parts of the UK so it is not surprising that it would face the strongest gusts – but it does underline quite how severe this storm is in the south-west of the UK right now.
#StormEUNICE
— BBC Weather (@bbcweather) February 18, 2022
Winds continuing to strengthen
These are exposed sites, but with gusts of 70-110mph being recorded it gives a flavour of the severity of the storm
Latest warnings: https://t.co/AmzLF2IKCY pic.twitter.com/EWmGyfGhSN
Updated
Scores of flights have been cancelled at London airports today due to the severe winds.
At Heathrow on Friday, at least 65 flights – departures and arrivals – were cancelled and a further 114 were delayed by more than 15 minutes, according to the aviation data provider FlightStats by Cirium. At Gatwick there were 15 cancellations and 67 delayed flights.
There are reports that as many as 80 British Airways flights into and out of the capital, 30 Loganair flights and a number of Easyjet flights have been cancelled around the UK.
These numbers sound reasonable given our previous post (see 8.47am update) but British Airways stresses, rightly, that the majority of its flights are still operating as planned. So if you’re planning to fly today, don’t cancel your plans just yet.
Updated
If you’d like to get in touch with us about how you’ve been affected by Storm Eunice, you can do that here.
However, please put your safety first when recording and sharing your content with us. Extreme weather events can be very unpredictable and carry very real risks. People are being warned to stay away from coastal areas, particularly where red alerts are in place on the south coast of Wales and much of the south coast of England.
Updated
P&O Ferries has suspended all sailings between Dover and Calais. The operator posted on Twitter:
#PODOVER - All services between Dover and Calais are suspended until further notice. We expect this to be the case for most of the day and we will provide further information when possible. We strongly advise our customers NOT to travel to the Port of Dover today
— P&O Ferries Updates (@POferriesupdate) February 18, 2022
Gusts top 90mph on the Isle of Wight
Gusts of up to 92mph have been recorded at the Needles on the Isle of Wight, the Met Office said.
At Mumbles Head near Swansea, on the South Wales coast, gusts have reached 87mph, while at St Mary’s Airport on the Isles of Scilly they have hit 79mph.
During Storm Arwen in November 2021, wind speeds peaked at 98mph at Brizlee Wood in Northumberland.
Updated
Climate scientists have been careful not to link the ferocity of today’s 90mph gusts to global heating.
The German climatologist Friederike Otto, who leads the pioneering World Weather Attribution (WWA) service on whether droughts, major storms or heat waves were made more likely by climate change, said there was “very little evidence that winds in these winter storms have gotten stronger with climate change”:
Nevertheless the damages of winter storms have gotten worse because of human-caused climate change for two reasons: 1) the rainfall associated with these winter storms has become more intense, and many studies link this clearly to climate change; 2) because of sea level rise storm surges are higher & thus more damaging than they would otherwise be.”
Richard Allan, a professor of climate science at the University of Reading, said: “Once-in-a-decade storms like Eunice are certain to batter the British Isles in the future but there is no compelling evidence that they will become more frequent or potent in terms of wind speeds.
“Yet with more intense rainfall and higher sea levels as human-caused climate change continues to heat the planet, flooding from coastal storm surges and prolonged deluges will worsen still further when these rare, explosive storms hit us in a warmer world.”
The WWA found last summer’s record heat in North America would have been “virtually impossible” without climate change, also finding links between flooding in Western Europe and global heating, but found no link with a drought in south Madagascar, which the UN had said could be the world’s first climate-caused famine.
Updated
PA Media has this very handy summary of the travel disruption caused by Storm Eunice so far:
Train operators across Britain have urged passengers to avoid travelling as emergency 50mph speed limits are in place in many areas.
This is to make it easier for train drivers to brake if they spot objects on the track or damage to overhead wires caused by strong winds. No trains will operate in Wales for the entire day.
That means Great Western Railway services from London Paddington are terminating at Bristol Parkway instead of continuing to Swansea. Among the firms advising customers not to travel on Friday are Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, Great Northern, London North Eastern Railway, Southern and Thameslink.
Roads are also expected to be treacherous on Friday. The AA said on Thursday it was “experiencing a very high demand” for its breakdown rescue services.
EasyJet said it has cancelled a “small number of flights” from UK airports on Friday.
Passengers on easyJet flight EJU8014 from Bordeaux to London Gatwick endured two aborted landings before their plane was put in a holding pattern over the south coast and then forced to return to the French city. It touched down back at its starting point more than three hours after it departed.
Transport for London urged people to avoid non-essential journeys in the capital.
Gales of up to 79mph recorded on Isles of Scilly and Isle of Wight
Gusts of up to 79mph have been recorded at St Mary’s Airport on the Isles of Scilly and the Needles on the Isle of Wight, the Met Office said.
At Capel Curig in Conwy, north Wales, gusts have reached 75mph, while at Mumbles Head near Swansea on the south Wales coast they have hit 74mph, reports PA Media.
During the “Great Storm” of October 1987, wind speeds peaked at 115mph at Shoreham-by-Sea in West Sussex, while also reaching 99mph at Gatwick Airport and 94mph in central London.
The south-west coast of England and south Wales have borne the brunt of Storm Eunice so far this morning but the high winds are rapidly spreading across the country.
Here are a few early pictures from Dorset, Bridgend and Cornwall:
Schools have been closed across nine counties in Ireland as Met Éireann, the country’s meteorological service, warned of a “short, sharp but very severe storm”.
My colleague Lisa O’Carroll reports:
As many as 55,000 homes in Ireland without power as Storm Eunice sweeps across the south and west of the country with sleet, gales and snow in places.
— lisa o'carroll (@lisaocarroll) February 18, 2022
Government's Cobra emergency committee to meet
The government’s emergency response committee Cobra will meet this afternoon to discuss the response to Storm Eunice, No 10 has confirmed.
The Home Office minister Damian Hinds said the military was being readied to help if required. He told ITV’s Good Morning Britain:
Cobra have been convened about making sure the readiness is in place for this storm. Obviously it comes right on the back of Storm Dudley.
“We have had to learn a lot of lessons from previous events like Storm Arwen and others.
“There are troops as you know at readiness if needed, if military assistance is called for, the Environment Agency are of course on the ground, the network operators themselves are also in readiness.”
Updated
British Airways cancels number of flights
British Airways has cancelled “a number of flights” due to severe gales across the UK.
The airline has not confirmed how many flights have been cancelled, or said how long the disruption is likely to last, but I have asked for more details.
BA’s online flight status checker currently shows nearly 40 cancelled flights that had been due to leave London Heathrow between 8am and 2pm today – but it is not clear how many of these are because of Storm Eunice.
Responding to customers on Twitter, the airline confirmed that arrivals into Heathrow were also affected. It tweeted:
The arrival flow rate at London Heathrow is being reduced due to gale force winds. If you want to change your flight, send us a DM with more information and we'll be happy to take a look at this for you. Lindy https://t.co/L1epyfzysM
— British Airways (@British_Airways) February 18, 2022
In a statement, BA said:
“Like other airlines, we’re expecting extreme weather conditions at airports across the UK as a result of Storm Eunice, which will cause significant disruption. Safety is our number one priority, and we’re cancelling a number of flights.
“We’re doing everything we can to minimise disruption for our customers, including putting on larger aircraft where possible and providing a range of flexible rebooking options. We’d like to thank customers for their patience and advise them to check the latest flight information on our website before heading to the airport.”
Updated
Swansea is expected to be one of the places worst-hit by Storm Eunice as it blows in off the south-western tip of the UK.
Schools have been closed for 36,000 pupils and civic buildings like libraries and community centres have also been shut, as residents are urged to remain indoors.
Rob Stewart, the leader of city and county of Swansea Council, said the storm poses a “really dangerous situation” and urged people to stay away from coastal areas and rivers.
Stewart told Sky News:
“I mean it is, unfortunately, a combination that we are dealing with of heavy rain over the last few days which has swelled the rivers, we’ve got high tides at the moment and, of course, this very, very rare red-rated storm so we’re as prepared as we can be but it is looking very dangerous for the next few hours.”
The north coasts of Cornwall and Devon are being battered by Storm Eunice, with councils there urging people not to travel unless absolutely necessary and many schools across the region closed.
Around 700 homes in Cornwall are without power, including the towns of Lostwithiel and Marazion. Exeter, Bristol and Cardiff airport have cancelled some flights.
Transport for Wales has cancelled all trains in the country for the whole of Friday, the first time this has happened in Wales ahead of a storm.
The M48 Severn Bridge was shut overnight and it is possible the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge may also be closed later.
In south Wales, Rhondda Cynon Taf council has announced all of its mountain roads are shut except to emergency vehicles.
Updated
Environment Agency warns of 'very, very serious' situation
People may have to leave their homes due to the danger posed by Storm Eunice, an Environment Agency spokesman has said.
Roy Stokes, the Environment Agency spokesperson for the Midlands, described the weather event as a “really, really serious situation” and urged people to listen to local advice about whether to leave their properties.
He told Sky News:
“What I would stress as well is that, folks, listen to the advice from the emergency services.
“This is a really, really serious situation and I know that people don’t always want to leave their homes but in this case it might be the best advice, so listen to what you’re being told on the ground.
“Keep an eye on things and we’ll just watch this come through now and hopefully it won’t be as bad as we’re all expecting but we always prepare for the worst and hope for the best.”
Stokes said the combination of the high spring tides combined with the storm moving in was “just the worst possible thing really” for the Severn Estuary, which flows into the Bristol channel between England and south Wales.
He said the “worst case scenario” is that some of Severn’s flood defences could be over topped.
Updated
The Met Office website has more information on what a red weather warning means.
It says winds of 90mph could lead to flying debris that could endanger life. There is a risk that roofs could be blown off buildings and trees and power lines could be brought down.
Roads, bridges and railway lines will be closed, with delays and cancellations to bus, train, ferry services and flights. Power cuts could affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage. And large waves and beach debris could be thrown on to coastal roads, sea fronts and homes, including flooding of some coastal properties.
Large waves were seen to hit the Cornish coast this morning as the storm was making landfall there around 7am.
In County Durham, people woke up to snow. A woman was seen clearing snow from her car in Tow Law:
Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of Storm Eunice. The Met Office has updated its red weather warning to include the east of England including London.
The rare danger-to-life warning means millions of people have been told to stay indoors at home to avoid 90mph winds.
The rare highest alert – meaning a major impact is very likely – was widened just before 4am, to run from 10am until 3pm on Friday, due to fears of the storm “causing significant disruption and dangerous conditions due to extremely strong winds”, the Met Office said.
The warning covering Greater London, Kent, Surrey, Essex and East Sussex joined an earlier red weather warning starting from 7am along the coastline of Devon, Cornwall and Somerset, as well as the south coast of Wales, due to the combination of high tides, strong winds and storm surge.
You can read our full early report here:
We’ll be bringing you the latest updates and pictures from around the country.
To let us know how the storm is affecting your part of the country, get in touch via email josh.halliday@theguardian.com or Twitter: @JoshHalliday.
Updated
