Winds top more than 100mph as Storm Bella gives way to ice and snow
Published: 10:43, 27 December 2020
Updated: 12:32, 27 December 2020
Winds reached more than 100mph overnight as Storm Bella brought rain and blowy conditions across the UK.
Two threat to life flood warnings remain in place in Northamptonshire after days of wintry weather across the Christmas break, with a cold snap with icy and wintry conditions still to come.
The top wind speed was recorded at the Needles on the Isle of Wight where it reached 106mph overnight on Saturday.
Aberdaron in north-west Wales experienced gusts of 83mph, and locations on the south coast of England, including Dorset, got close to 80mph.
The gales meant that for the first time ever, more than half of Britain’s electricity was generated by wind power on Saturday.
According to energy firm Drax, 50.67% of the country’s power was produced by wind turbines.
Fire crews in north Yorkshire had to rescue a number of people from vehicles stranded in floodwater overnight.
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said they used a boat to rescue two men and two dogs from a vehicle stuck in flowing floodwater in Hawes at 12.37am on Sunday.
In Aysgarth, a man and a woman were also rescued by boat from the roof of their car at 2.40am after they drove into deep floodwater.
And firefighters walked a woman to safety through shallow water in Wensley at 3.35am after a minor collision while driving through floods.
The disruption continued into Sunday morning when flooding on the tracks caused cancellations and delays.
All trains between Bournemouth and Southampton Central were stopped due to water on the line, Great Western Railway said, and one of the major lines into London was also blocked when a tree fell on to the tracks in Haslemere, Surrey.
Two severe flood warnings indicating a potential threat to life are still in place at Cogenhoe Mill caravan site near Northampton and on the River Nene near Billing Aquadrome on Sunday morning.
On Sunday, yellow weather warnings for ice and snow remained in place across Scotland, northern England, Northern Ireland and parts of North Wales.
Snow and sleet is a possibility in Scotland from Sunday morning, and will move south throughout the day, bringing the risk of ice and bad driving conditions.
Through the evening and into Monday, meteorologists are warning the snow and ice could also pose a risk to more central and southern areas of England.
Further into the week and towards the New Year conditions will remain cold with sunshine and the possibility of wintry showers, the Met Office said.
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