The Met Office has issued a rare red warning, urging Britons to prepare for life-threatening conditions as Storm Darragh barrels toward the UK with winds reaching 90mph. Wales and South West England are expected to bear the brunt of the storm from 3am to 11am tomorrow, with significant disruptions predicted.
Residents in affected areas, including Cardiff, Swansea, Bristol, and North Somerset, have been advised to stay indoors and secure outdoor items such as Christmas decorations, garden furniture, and trampolines. Meteorologists warn of flying debris, falling trees, and large waves battering coastal regions, posing a severe danger to life.
The storm’s ferocity is set to bring power outages, damaged buildings, and transport chaos. Roads, bridges, and railways face closures, while flights, buses, and ferries are likely to experience delays or cancellations. For those in the red zone, the advice is clear: avoid travel and ensure emergency kits, including torches and power packs, are on hand.
The amber and yellow warnings extending across the rest of the UK underline the widespread impact expected from Storm Darragh. Coastal regions from South Ayrshire to Cornwall and parts of Northern Ireland are on high alert for dangerous winds and flooding. The Environment Agency has issued over 160 flood alerts, and emergency services are on standby.
Storm Darragh follows a day of dramatic weather, including a “mini tornado” in Staffordshire that uprooted trees and ripped tiles from rooftops. A Loganair flight from Manchester to Aberdeen had to turn back after lightning struck and cracked its windshield, underscoring the storm’s dangerous potential.
#StormDarragh is currently brewing out in the Atlantic 👀
— Met Office (@metoffice) December 5, 2024
Here's the latest satellite imagery and it's development over the next couple of days 👇 pic.twitter.com/OftpJpxWzM
With Christmas markets and events canceled nationwide, Britons are being told to prioritize safety over seasonal festivities. The Met Office emphasizes that the rare red alert is a call to action: stay indoors, avoid unnecessary risks, and prepare for potentially devastating conditions.