Millions of residents in parts of Wales and south-west England have been advised to remain at home as Storm Darragh poses a significant danger to life, with winds reaching gusts of up to 91 mph.
The Met Office has issued its highest-level red warning for potentially life-threatening weather, which is active from 03:00 to 11:00 GMT on Saturday, covering western and southern Wales as well as the Bristol Channel coast.
The Met Office has warned that the storm will lead to “significant disruption,” with tens of thousands of homes already without power across south Wales and western England.
In response, approximately three million people received a government emergency alert on Friday evening, delivered via mobile devices. This was the largest use of the UK’s warning system to date, with a loud, siren-like sound lasting for around 10 seconds.
The alert advised residents to gather torches, batteries, mobile phone power packs, and other essential items in preparation for potential power cuts.
The warning emphasized the risks of being outside during high winds, urging residents to remain indoors. Wind gusts reached 92 mph at Capel Curig in north Wales and 91 mph in Aberdaron along the north-west Wales coast on Saturday morning, with gusts of 80-90 mph recorded across the Irish Sea.
According to the Met Office, the storm will maintain its strongest winds on the western side of the UK as it moves south-eastward, with its peak expected in the next few hours.
National Grid data reported over 22,000 homes in Wales without power at 06:00 GMT, with more than 12,000 properties affected across the Midlands and south-west England. Bristol Airport and Cardiff Airport have issued travel advisories due to anticipated disruptions over the weekend.
Cardiff Airport announced that no flights would operate during the red warning period and advised travelers to contact their airline for updates. Both the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge and the M48 Severn Bridge were closed due to the storm.
Sports events across Wales have been canceled, including Cardiff City’s football match against Watford, originally scheduled to kick off at 15:00. In addition to strong winds, Storm Darragh is expected to bring heavy rainfall, with 120 flood alerts issued across England and 55 alerts in Wales. This comes as the region remains saturated from previous storms like Storm Bert.
In London, all Royal Parks, including the Winter Wonderland attraction in Hyde Park, will be closed on Saturday. Horse races at Aintree in Merseyside and Chepstow in south Wales have been abandoned because of the weather conditions.
Northern Ireland has also felt the storm’s effects, with an amber weather warning in place until 21:00 GMT. Several Christmas events, including the Belfast Christmas market and the Enchanted Winter Garden events at Antrim Castle Gardens, have been canceled.
The amber warnings in Northern Ireland, Wales, and western England are set to last until Saturday morning, while other areas across the UK remain under lower-level yellow warnings. Storm Darragh marks the fourth named storm of the season, following Storms Bert and Conall, which previously caused devastating flooding.