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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
William Mata and Megan Howe

Storm Herminia LIVE: UK weather warnings as London faces more wind and rain

The capital is facing another blustery and wet day as the UK continues to feel the effects of Storm Herminia.

While a Met Office weather warning for London expired at 6am on Tuesday, forecasters are predicting gusts up to 34mph and rain throughout the day.

Another yellow warning for rain hangs over southern England and the South-West between 8am and 10am, with a separate warning in place for Wales untill 9pm.

It comes after thousands of fliers had their travel plans ruined on Monday as bad weather forced airlines to cancel flights.

London Heathrow saw 36 arrivals and departures cancelled after air-traffic controllers asked for a reduction in the number of slots because of strong winds caused by Storm Herminia.

Follow the latest updates below...

Yellow weather warnings for rain in place across southwest England and Wales

06:46 , Megan Howe

It’s set to be another wet and windy day for many across parts of Wales and England today, with two yellow weather warnings in place.

From 8am until 10am today, heavy rain and possible thunderstorms are expected across London and southwest England.

The Met Office has warned bus and train services may be affected and there may be some interruption to power lines, as well as localised flooding.

From midday until 9pm, south Wales will see frequent showers and spells of rain which could cause some disruption through localised flooding.

Bus and train journeys could take longer and flooding of a few homes is possible.

While some places have already seen 40mm of rain, a further 20-30mm is expected on Monday, before showers begin to ease.

A person using an umbrella to shelter from the rain while walking in Shoreditch, London (Lucy North/PA) (PA Wire)

Buses to replace trains on some routes via Transport for Wales services

07:05 , Megan Howe

Disruption is expected on some routes across south Wales today as a yellow weather warning is in place.

National Rail has urged travellers not to attempt to travel on the following routes:

• Between Shrewsbury and Swansea (Heart of Wales line) until midday

• Between Llandudno / Llandudno Junction and Blaenau Ffestiniog until 9.30am

Rail replacement buses will run on the following routes:

• Between Shrewsbury / Llandrindod and Swansea

• Between Llandudno / Llandudno Junction and Blaenau Ffestiniog

Buses to replace trains on some routes via Transport for Wales services (Alamy/PA)

Good morning

06:22 , Michael Howie

We’re resuming our coverage of the weather as London and much of the UK faces another wet and windy day.

We’ll keep you up to date on the developments as the latest winter storm, named Herminia by Spanish authorities, continues to impact the country.

Disruption between Reading and Taunton until the end of the day

Monday 27 January 2025 16:58 , Will Mata

There is currently disruption between Reading and Taunton, National Rail has said. Delays of up to 30 minutes can be expected.

“Earlier flooding in the Westbury area has affected the signalling system meaning trains running from Reading towards Taunton have to run at a reduced speed,” a statement read.

Routes affected are between London Paddington and Westbury / Frome / Exeter St Davids / Paignton / Plymouth / Penzance, and also between Newbury and Bedwyn.

Around 35,000 properties lost power

Monday 27 January 2025 16:52 , Will Mata

On heavy bands of rain in the South West of England and Wales caused by Storm Herminia, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden told the Commons: "A number of properties have been flooded and 35,000 properties lost power although the majority of those have now been restored.

"We expect the impact of this storm to be significantly less than Storm Eowyn."

Minister says response is coming 'as soon as possible'

Monday 27 January 2025 16:47 , Will Mata

Pat McFadden said UK Government departments are "moving as quickly as they can" to meet requests for help from Northern Ireland to respond to the aftermath of Storm Eowyn.

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster told the Commons: "Under industry arrangements, electricity network operators have facilitated mutual aid with 102 engineers with equipment travelling to Northern Ireland to support power restoration.

"Northern Ireland has requested specific mutual aid from Great Britain, not only in the form of engineers but also helicopters, generators and batteries as well as wider equipment, including chainsaws and vehicles. UK Government departments are moving as quickly as they can to meet these requests.

"We believe the majority of requests can be met through either the usual mutual aid channels or, in some cases, commercial arrangements with industry."

Western France residents struggle to escape amid floods

Monday 27 January 2025 16:15 , Will Mata

Residents in western France used boats to escape their flooded homes on Monday as rivers and waterways broke their banks after successive storms battered Normandy and Brittany.

The national weather service had issued flood and wind warnings as Storm Herminia hit Spain, France on parts of the UK.

Normandy and Brittany were already waterlogged after the passage of last week's Storm Eowyn, which left two people dead from fallen trees and more than 1 million people without electricity in Ireland and Britain.

Storm Herminia caused road closures in some areas of France. About 400 people were evacuated from homes in and around the city of Rennes, at the heart of the hardest-hit region.

The mayor called it the city's worst flooding in more than 40 years, and said in a statement that the waters weren't expected to start receding until Wednesday.

A man carries a cinder block as he walks in a flooded street at Le Pont Rean in Guichen near Rennes (REUTERS)

Hilary Benn says government is working to support Northern Ireland

Monday 27 January 2025 16:05 , Will Mata

Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn said the UK Government was working hard to meet requests for assistance from the devolved Stormont Executive for support in the wake of Storm Eowyn.

Mr Benn was speaking during a visit to Northern Ireland Electricity headquarters in Belfast where he was updated on efforts to restore power to households in the region.

He said: "We have got a way to go yet but we have been working very hard as the UK Government to meet the requests for support from the Northern Ireland Executive.

"In these circumstances my job is to make sure that we meet those needs.

"The engineers that have come over through the mutual support arrangements, the helicopters that are now here, and as other requests come in we will do our darndest to meet them.

"This is showing the strength of the United Kingdom working together to look after each other in the wake of this once-in-a-generation storm."

Sir Keir Starmer pledges support to Ireland

Monday 27 January 2025 15:58 , Will Mata

Sir Keir Starmer said the UK was standing by to offer further support after Storm Eowyn in his first phone call with Irish premier Micheal Martin since he was elected Taoiseach.

Sir Keir congratulated Mr Martin on his election in a call this morning and the two leaders look forward to meeting soon, a Downing Street spokesperson said.

"The leaders agreed that the UK-Ireland relationship was going from strength to strength, and it was vital to continue that in such a volatile geopolitical context.

"Discussing devastating Storm Eowyn at the weekend, the leaders paid tribute to the work of first responders and engineers to restore electricity to thousands of homes.

The Prime Minister said that he had also spoken to the First Minister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland and that the UK stood by to offer further support, as required.”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (PA Wire)

Full list of cancellations at London Heathrow due to wet and windy weather

Monday 27 January 2025 15:20 , Megan Howe

Air traffic controllers at London Heathrow have asked for a reduction in the number of slots for planes to land and take off as a result of strong winds caused by Storm Herminia.

As a result, some arrivals and departures have been cancelled.

We have compiled a full list below:

Arrivals

15.25 British Airways flight BA315 from Paris

15.45 Lufthansa flight LH910 from Frankfurt

16.25 British Airways flight BA439 from Amsterdam

17.00 KLM flight KL1013 from Amsterdam

17.10 British Airways flight BA779 from Stockholm

17.50 British Airways flight BA985 from Berlin

18.35 British Airways flight BA909 from Frankfurt

19.00 British Airways flight BA1429 from Belfast

20.40 Finnair flight AY1339 from Helsinki

Departures

15.20 British Airways flight BA1428 to Belfast

16.30 Lufthansa flight LH911 to Frankfurt

17.50 KLM flight KL1014 to Amsterdam

Patrol train clears shed from railway line in the wake of Storm Eowyn

Monday 27 January 2025 14:36 , Megan Howe

Network Rail reported a patrol locomotive had a “wicked” sight today during their clean-up operation following the damage caused by Storm Eowyn last week.

A garden shed appeared to have been blown onto the tracks near Forgandenny between Perth and Stirling.

Scotland saw winds of up to 100mph amid Storm Eoqyn which left 40,000 people without power and caused major disruption to train lines across the UK.

Delays between Three Bridges and Gatwick Airport due to landslip

Monday 27 January 2025 14:21 , Megan Howe

National Rail has reported delays to services between Three Bridges and Gatwick Airport due to a landslip.

Some nortbound lines are currently blocked, with disruption expected until 6pm today.

Trains can operate on different lines, but delays may occur due to an increased number of trains on a single line.

Passengers have been advised to check their route before they travel.

Storm a 'warning climte change is upon us'

Monday 27 January 2025 13:24 , Will Mata

Scotland's First Minister has said reconnecting power in Scotland following Storm Eowyn has been a "colossal" task and the impact is a "warning that climate change is with us".

Tens of thousands of homes were left without power after the storm hit on Friday with almost 8,000 homes still cut off on Monday morning.

Gusts hit 100mph north of the border as high winds claimed one life and caused widespread damage, disrupting travel and damaging property.

Speaking at an event in Edinburgh, John Swinney said: "It's a warning to us that climate change is with us and the ferocity (of it)."

John Swinney (PA Wire)

Major incident has been declared in Somerset

Monday 27 January 2025 12:59

A major incident has been declared in Somerset after overnight flooding as rain and wind continue to batter parts of the UK.

Residents in the worst affected areas of Somerset have been evacuated from their homes, with more than 50 flood warnings in effect across England and two in force in Scotland as the UK recovers from Storm Eowyn.

A series of weather warnings - including a fresh yellow rain alert issued on Monday morning - are in place to cover the potential impacts from the less powerful Storm Herminia, a low pressure system named by meteorologists in Spain, which is expected to feel the strongest winds.

A yellow alert for rain was issued by the Met Office at 7.58am on Monday covering parts of southern England until 10am on Tuesday, warning of heavy rain, possible thunderstorms and flooding.

Another yellow warning for rain is in place until 11.59pm covering large swathes of Wales and parts of the West Midlands, with the Met Office predicting 0.8in to 1.6in (20mm to 40mm to fall quite widely and 2in to 2.8in (50mm to 70mm) on higher ground.

And a yellow wind alert is in force until 6am on Tuesday for southern England and parts of Wales, with gusts of 50mph to 70mph possible at times.

Somerset Council and police jointly declared a major incident in the region.

Call for energy companies to help customers in Northern Ireland

Monday 27 January 2025 12:16 , Will Mata

Stormont's first and deputy first minister have called on Northern Ireland's energy network provider, NIE Networks, to offer goodwill payments to those who remain without power following Storm Eowyn.

First Minister Michelle O'Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly said compensation payments were available in Scotland for affected customers.

Some 65,000 homes and business remain without power in Northern Ireland, with some people told they could be waiting until February 3 to be reconnected.

Updating reporters at Parliament Buildings in Belfast, Ms O'Neill said: "We've asked NIE to look at the issue of compensation, because we think that it is important that people are supported through these difficult days."

She added: "These companies make significant profits every year. They should make sure they give that goodwill payment now at a time of need."

First Minister for Northern Ireland Michelle O’Neill said work is being done across Northern Ireland to restore power after the storm (PA Wire)

British sailor, 73, lost at sea amid heavy storms in France

Monday 27 January 2025 12:05 , Will Mata

A British sailor was lost at sea after his yacht was found wrecked off the southwest French coast amid heavy storms over the weekend, French maritime authorities said.

The search for the 73-year-old came as Storm Herminia battered western France. France's national weather agency on Monday placed the Ile-et-Vilaine department, in western France, on red alert due to the risks of major floods.

The distress beacon of the yacht was detected around 80 km (50 miles) west of Lacanau on Saturday afternoon, and a helicopter dispatched to the scene found the sailboat, the Prefet Maritime de l'Atlantique said in a statement late on Sunday.

The helicopter winched its two divers on board, who discovered an empty life raft.

A cargo vessel and the Spanish hospital ship Esperanza del Mar were also mobilised to search for the man.

After several hours of searching and due to a lack of any new information, the search was suspended in the early hours of Sunday.

All of the train cancellations and delays due to Storm Herminia

Monday 27 January 2025 12:03 , Will Mata

National Rail has flagged a number of providers that may operate a disrupted service or have cancellations as a result of the storm.

“Strong winds can blow trees into infrastructure, damaging the overhead lines that power electric trains,” the website states.

It added: “The winds can mean it’s unsafe to carry out repairs at height – or with certain machinery until the winds have dropped. Trains may have to run at a reduced speed causing delays to your journey.”

See the full list in our story here.

Customers buy train tickets (PA)

Situation on the roads

Monday 27 January 2025 11:59 , Will Mata

As of midday there are no major weather-related delays on the roads to report - but National Highways has warned of rainy weather ahead.

“Expect heavy showers and possible thunderstorms,” a tweet read.

“Stay safe: drive to conditions, slow down, use wipers, and keep a four-second gap.”

Why wasn't Storm Herminia included in the Met Office's list of names

Monday 27 January 2025 11:41 , Will Mata

There has been some confusion as to how we have arrived at Storm Herminia when the Met Office names storms alphabetically - and we have only just had Storm Eowyn.

Well, Storm Herminia originated in Spain and France and has blown over to northern Europe. Therefore, it was named by the Spanish weather agency and is not considered to be on the Met’s list.

Here is the full process behind the decision making.

How the weather agencies are grouped (Met Office)

London round-up: Yellow weather warnings, transport disruption

Monday 27 January 2025 11:38 , Will Mata

The Met Office has issued a yellow rain warning for London between midday and 9pm on Tuesday - with 9C temperatures amid “occasional heavy showers, with strong gusty winds”.

Here is a quick round-up:

  • Transport for London has reported a good service across the board with the exception of the Piccadilly line - where a leaf fall has caused the closure between Rayners Land and Uxbridge.
  • National Rail has flagged a number of providers that may operate a disrupted service or have cancellations as a result of the storm. See the full list here.
  • The Met Office has said the next few days will be “unsettled” after Storm Herminia came on the back of Storm Eowyn.
People shelter from the rain beneath an umbrella as they cross London Bridge in central London (Lucy North/PA Wire)
People shelter from the rain as they walk across London Bridge in central London (Lucy North/PA Wire)

Network Rail warns of potential disruptions

Monday 27 January 2025 11:13 , Will Mata

With weather warnings in place on Monday and Tuesday, Network Rail has warned of the potential for disruption on lines.

The agency has said: “Strong winds can blow trees into infrastructure, damaging the overhead lines that power electric trains.

“The winds can mean it’s unsafe to carry out repairs at height – or with certain machinery until the winds have dropped. Trains may have to run at a reduced speed causing delays to your journey.”

As a result ScotRail and Transport for Wales have both reported disruption to services on Monday morning. See the full list here.

ScotRail said services are disrupted (Jane Barlow/PA) (PA Wire)

'Everything being done' to reconnect Irish homes to power

Monday 27 January 2025 11:08 , Will Mata

Ministers have insisted that every effort is being made to restore power supplies that were cut during Storm Eowyn, amid concerns some communities could be left in the dark until next week.

Homes and infrastructure across Ireland were damaged during the nationwide red-level weather event, which brought record-breaking wind speeds and cut power to more than a million customers on the island of Ireland.

A young man was killed after a tree fell on his car in Co Donegal during the storm.

Technicians from England and France were helping restore power to homes and businesses as around 278,000 remained cut off in Ireland and 65,000 in Northern Ireland.

Around 109,000 were without water and 94,000 homes and businesses were without broadband as of Sunday.

Irish deputy premier and foreign affairs minister Simon Harris said that "everything that can be done is being done" to restore supplies.

Scotland's first minister describes 'colossal' clean up task

Monday 27 January 2025 11:07 , Will Mata

Scotland's First Minister has said reconnecting power in Scotland following Storm Eowyn has been a "colossal" task.

Tens of thousands of homes were left without power after the storm battered the country on Friday with almost 8,000 homes still cut off on Monday morning.

Speaking at an event in Edinburgh, First Minister John Swinney said he had been tracking the situation over the weekend.

"The scale of the challenge has been colossal, utterly colossal," he said.

"Although there are 7,897 people off supply, the number that have been reconnected is in excess of 180,000 since Friday evening."

He added: "I have been engaged with the resilience community and the power companies all weekend and I'm satisfied that there has been a huge mobilisation of resource to try to address this issue."

The situation as it stands in Scotland, the First Minister, is more "diffuse" than over the weekend, with those without power living in more rural areas.

First Minister John Swinney (PA Wire)

Pictures: Europe recovers as Storm Herminia continues

Monday 27 January 2025 11:05 , Will Mata

Towns in France are getting back to normal on Monday after devastating flooding caused by Storm Herminia.

The Saint-Martin canal overflows in Rennes after heavy rains as the storm Herminia hits western France (REUTERS)
A drone view shows a flooded area at Le Pont Rean in Guichen near Rennes (REUTERS)
A man carries a dog as he walks in a flooded street in Rennes (REUTERS)
Cars are submerged in a flooded street in Rennes after heavy rain as storm Herminia hits western France (REUTERS)

Devon and Wales among the most badly hit places

Monday 27 January 2025 10:22 , Will Mata

Areas of Wales and south west England have been particuarly badly hit by the storm overnight.

Okehampton in Devon had 35.8mm of rain on Sunday, while an 83mph gust was recorded in Berry Head, south Devon, and 81mph in Capelcurig, North Wales.

A yellow wind warning was in place until 7am on Monday for large parts of southern England, the North West, the West Midlands and Yorkshire.

Flooding saw stretches of the A36 and A303 closed in Devon and Wiltshire overnight, while National Rail said services were running normally between Taunton and Castle Cary after flooding.

A landslide on a road between Tavistock and Lamerton in west Devon (Tavistock Neighbourhood Police Team/PA Wire)

Weather set to be 'unsettled' for several days

Monday 27 January 2025 10:18 , Will Mata

The Met Office has said the next few days will be “unsettled”.

The UK has just come off the back of the devastating Storm Eowyn and is now set to be on the receiving end of Storm Herminia.

A wet and windy spell arrived in the South West on Sunday morning and was moving across the north of the UK overnight, the Met Office has said.

Meteorologist Marco Petagna said: "Things are going to stay unsettled in the next few days. We're getting successive spells of wet and windy weather, which is obviously adding to impacts.”

While not as powerful as Storm Eowyn, a low-pressure system was named Storm Herminia by meteorologists in Spain which was expected to feel the strongest winds.

The Met Office said Monday is expected to see showers, turning heavy in the south alongside strong, gale-force winds, with snow on the hills in the north.

Gales are expected to ease slowly in the South West overnight but pick up in the far north.

Tuesday is forecast to see further heavy showers in the south with a risk of thunder. Longer spells of rain in the North West as expected to ease later.

The wet and windy weather will remain in the south on Wednesday more settled conditions will be present later in the week.

Storm comes as country recovers from Eowyn impact

Monday 27 January 2025 10:13 , Will Mata

The effects of Herminia have been felt as Scotland continues to recover from the effects of Storm Eowyn.

ScotRail said engineers had made "great progress" in removing debris and repairing damage, but several lines were unlikely to reopen for the start of services on Monday.

The Largs to Adrossan line will not reopen on Monday after an overhead gantry was brough down by a falling tree.

Avanti West Coast said services to and from Glasgow and Edinburgh had resumed, but warned of late starts and possible delays on Scottish routes.

Northern Ireland Electricity Networks said around 74,000 customers remained without power at the end of Sunday following Storm Eowyn, while the Northern Powergrid said teams were working to reconnect more than 150 customers overnight.

The patrol locomotive inspecting the line between Perth and Stirling has found this garden shed near Forgandenny (Network Rail Scotland/PA Wire)

Series of yellow warnings set to bring transport disruption

Monday 27 January 2025 10:07 , Will Mata

Stormy weather is bringing the threat of flooding and more disruption to transport across large parts of England and Wales.

A series of yellow warnings for wind and rain have been issued for large parts of England and Wales with more than 40 flood warnings in place.

After a Met Office warning for rain over parts of Wales and central, southern and northern England, ran until 6am on Monday, there was little respite with much of the same area under a 24-hour warning for strong and gusty winds from the same time.

A warning for periods of heavy rain that could cause some flooding of roads and properties was in place for the West Midlands and most of Wales until 11.59pm on Monday with the Met Office predicting 20mm to 40mm to fall quite widely and 50mm to 70mm on higher ground.

Gardens, streets, and fields are submerged in flood water following Storm Hermina, in Caumont-sur-Oren, northwestern France (AFP via Getty Images)
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