Heavy rain and wind set to ease as Storm Bronagh moves away

Heavy rainfall and powerful gusts brought by Storm Bronagh are set to ease over the weekend as the weather system moves into the North Sea, forecasters have said.

Coming hot on the heels of Storm Ali, the second named storm of the year has caused travel misery and widespread disruption, with fallen trees and flooding blocking roads and rail routes.

Forecasters said the impact of Bronagh is “waning”, and is mostly restricted to offshore areas in the North East.

Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge told the Press Association: “We have got reasonably good weather conditions anticipated over the next few days, given that Storm Bronagh is now leaving our shores.

“It exited the North East last night and in the early hours of the morning into the North Sea, although the back end of the storm will still cause heavy winds in offshore areas in the North East.

“Its influence over the weather picture is waning, and in truth it is only really going to be impacting upon those offshore north-eastern areas.”

Sheffield saw particularly heavy rains on Thursday (George Griffiths/PA)
Sheffield saw particularly heavy rains on Thursday (George Griffiths/PA)

Mr Madge said forecasters anticipate nationwide sunshine and showers in the coming days, with some strong winds still anticipated.

Saturday is expected to bring rain moving from the South West into the South East and the Midlands as the day draws on.

On Sunday, forecasters are anticipating the arrival of another low pressure system, although Mr Madge said it will be “perhaps not as bad as first feared”.

Storm Bronagh
Storm Bronagh

At its worst, Bronagh brought heavy rain and showers as it swept across the country, with 78mph gusts recorded overnight in the Needles on the Isle of Wight.

Parts of Wales were badly hit by the downpours, with Bala in Gwynedd and Capel Curig in Conwy recording 58.2mm and 58mm of rainfall respectively over a 12-hour period stretching from Thursday evening to Friday morning.

In Cynghordy, Carmarthenshire, footage surfaced of a car floating along a fast-flowing river, in what police described as “incredible weather conditions”.

Sheffield saw nearly half a month’s rain fall in 24 hours, and images posted on social media showed flooding on a number of roads and at the city’s train station overnight.

BREAKING: Unfortunately the match has been abandoned. The storm last night blew the covers from the wicket, meaning the playing surface has been deemed unfit. More to follow…#WeAreSomersetpic.twitter.com/Y91EruAqss

— Somerset Cricket 🏏 (@SomersetCCC) September 21, 2018

Speed restrictions were in place for many trains across the network in England and Wales due to high winds, which were forecast to reach between 45mph and 50mph across much of the country.

Commuters in Wales faced some of the most severe delays, after Bronagh caused flooding on the lines between Machynlleth and Aberystwyth, and near Mountain Ash.

Some Southeastern services were delayed after a train hit a tree at Maidstone East early on Friday, and services in the South West were operating with delays on a number of routes thanks to fallen trees and enforced speed restrictions.

Cars travel through heavy rain on the M5 near Worcester on Thursday (Aaron Chown/PA)
Cars travel through heavy rain on the M5 near Worcester on Thursday (Aaron Chown/PA)

In cricket’s County Championship, Somerset were forced to abandon their clash with Surrey after wind blew off the covers and caused an unfit playing surface.

On Friday morning, the Environment Agency had 27 flood alerts in place – the lowest level of the three-tier warning system.

The alerts cover a number of rivers in northern England and as far south as the River Wye in Herefordshire.

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