Met Office issues ‘danger to life’ alerts for rain and wind amid Storm Bram

The Met Office has issued “danger to life” weather warnings for rain and wind in parts of Scotland, Wales, and South West England amid Storm Bram.

Heavy rainfall and strong winds are expected to cause disruption across parts of the UK from Monday night into Wednesday morning, forecasters have warned.

An amber weather warning for “very strong and disruptive winds” has been issued for north-west Scotland as the Met Office said the storm could cause damage to buildings and homes, power cuts and travel disruption on Tuesday night.

Gusts of 70 to 80 mph are expected for a few hours, and some places may experience gusts of up to 90 mph, the Met Office said.

Heavy rain will accompany these strong winds and may exacerbate impacts, it added.

The forecaster said there is a potential for large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties, with flying debris posing a possible “danger to life”.

Those in the area covered by the amber alert for wind – mainly the Highlands and Eilean Siar – should prepare to protect their property and people from injury by checking for loose items outside their home and securing them, the Met Office advised.

Such items could include bins, garden furniture, trampolines, tents, sheds and fences.

Roads, bridges and railway lines in the region may close, with delays and cancellations to bus, train, ferry services and flights, the forecaster added.

The warning starts at 4pm on Tuesday and will end at 11.59pm.

Some homes and businesses are likely to be flooded and potentially damaged, while some communities could be cut off because of flooded roads, the Met Office said.

Fast flowing floodwater is likely in the affected areas, also causing challenging conditions and a danger to life, it warned.

Drivers will face difficult driving conditions as spray and flooding may also lead to road closures.

The forecaster warned of travel disruption on Tuesday morning and said to prepare to avoid travelling by road.

They further advised people in the areas covered by the amber rain warning to prepare a flood kit, containing insurance and any other important documents, a torch and spare batteries, a first aid kit and prescription medicines.

The kit should also contain supplies for looking after family members or pets, as well as warm and waterproof clothes, blankets, and food and water, the Met Office said.

The amber rain warning also includes parts of South Wales and the South West of England, mostly covering Dartmoor in Devon.

The forecasters said around 100mm of rain could fall in some locations with 50 to 75mm of rain expected across much of the warning area.

The warning starts from 12am and ends at 10am on Tuesday.

Network Rail has advised passengers in Scotland to plan ahead and check their journeys before travelling on Tuesday.

Transport Scotland said the conditions caused by Storm Bram are likely to cause disruption to road, rail, air and ferry travel.

Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop urged people to “plan ahead” if they need to travel, adding: “The high winds are likely to impact other modes of transport, so if you are planning to travel by train, ferry or air, please check with your operator to see if your service has been affected.”

Yellow weather warnings are covering other parts of the UK on Tuesday.

Two other yellow weather warnings for wind have been issued for Scotland, the North East and North West England, and parts of Wales on Wednesday.

The warning starts from 12am on Tuesday and ends at noon for the Grampians, Highlands and Eilean Siar, the Orkney Islands, and Strathclyde regions of Scotland.

The second yellow weather warning comes into force at 12am on Tuesday and ends at 6am for parts of the Grapians, North West and North East England, and the Denbighshire and Flintshire parts of Wales.