We've only just managed to rid ourselves of Storms Dudley, Eunice, and Franklin, and already people are talking about the next one. Storm Gladys could be on the way, some have warned, bringing strong winds and snow to some parts of the UK.
The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings for Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the north east of England over the next couple of days. While the weatherfront has yet to be officially named Storm Gladys, that's the next name on the list, and it's possible the Met Office could use it if the storm turns out to be strong enough.
The first yellow weather warning is for the north east of England and into the south east of Scotland; this is for wind, and it lasts from 6am to 3pm today. This area includes Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Sunderland, and Durham, and comes as far south as Pateley Bridge in the Yorkshire Dales, just 30 miles north of Leeds.
Read more - UK weather: more weather warnings issued for wind and snow
The second warning is for wind and snow in must of the centre and west of Scotland, as well as the north-western half of Northern Ireland. This will last from 1pm today until 3pm tomorrow.
Separately, the Manchester Evening News reports that the Environment Agency is warning people in the West Midlands and Yorkshire, especially those near the Rivers Severn and Ouse, to be prepared for significant flooding following high rainfall from Storm Franklin.
Katharine Smith, flood duty manager at the EA, urged people to stay away from swollen rivers. “We are still facing a significant flooding risk, and we are urging people to remain vigilant and take extreme care," she said.
Read more: Storm Eunice leads to ten 'dangerous structures' call outs and 50 tree-related incidents
"Heavy rain, affecting already wet areas, is likely to cause significant river flooding along the River Severn over the next few days. So far we have received reports of around 400 properties having flooded over the past few days. Our thoughts go out to all those affected – flooding can and does have a devastating impact on people’s lives.
Down here in Bristol, the weather is set to remain unsettled for the next few days: blustery showers are expected to fall this week, while frosty temperatures are also being anticipated tomorrow. There should be some sunshine, however, so it's not all bad news.
What do Met Office yellow weather warnings mean?
Wind and snow (Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wednesday and Thursday)
- There is a small chance of injuries and danger to life from flying debris
- There is a slight chance of some damage to buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs
- There is a small chance of longer journey times or cancellations as road, rail, air and ferry services are affected. There is also a chance some vehicles and passengers could become stranded.
- There is a slight chance that power cuts may occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage
- There is a small chance that some roads and bridges could close
- There is a slight chance that some rural communities could become cut off
Wind (north east England, Wednesday)
- Delays for high-sided vehicles on exposed routes and bridges likely
- Some delays to road, rail, air and ferry transport are likely
- Probably some bus and train services affected, with some journeys taking longer
- Some short term loss of power and other services is possible
Read more: Storm Gladys: When is the next severe weather forecast?
Read more: Lucky escape as Storm Eunice scaffolding collapses onto 15 cars
Also read: Dramatic images of chaos caused by Storms Eunice and Dudley this week
