Severe gales batter the UK and Ireland by Susan Powell
Severe gales and heavy rain swept across much of the UK and Ireland on Saturday causing havoc and killing at least one person.
Exposed parts of Western and Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales saw the strongest winds with gusts in excess of 100mph (161km/h). Belmullet in County Mayo, Ireland saw the strongest gust of 108mph (174km/h).
One person was killed yesterday evening when a tree fell on a car in Downpartick, Co Down in Northern Ireland. Electricity supplies to around 100,000 homes right across Ireland were cut during the height of the storm.
The fire service received a number of calls for assistance as winds gusted to 70mph (113km/h) across parts of North Wales and Southwest England causing structural damage to buildings and downing trees.
Saturday’s stormy conditions were caused by an Atlantic depression which deepened as it approached the British Isles. As it neared Western Ireland, it veered in a northeasterly direction which brought its centre just off the west coast of Scotland.
Although the winds have since eased, colder air moving in behind the storm has given rise to heavy snow showers which are affecting Western Scotland and Northern Ireland through today.
With the cold air now expected to dominate, wintry showers and spells of snow are forecast across much of the UK and Ireland for the upcoming week. Some significant accumulations of snow are possible for the Scottish Highlands, Snowdonia and the Pennines.
