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UK weather latest: Storm Georgina batters Scotland and Northern Ireland with 90mph winds

Landslide and travel disruption reported, following warnings of major winds

Wednesday 24 January 2018 10:05 EST
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A car driving down a flooded road near Sutton in Cambridgeshire, as parts of Britain are battered with strong winds and heavy rain from Storm Georgina
A car driving down a flooded road near Sutton in Cambridgeshire, as parts of Britain are battered with strong winds and heavy rain from Storm Georgina (PA)

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Gale force winds battered Scotland and Northern Ireland as Storm Georgina - the seventh named storm of the season - made landfall.

Major travel disruption was reported, along with a landslide, as the Met Office yellow “be aware” warnings for high winds across northern Scotland were extended until 5pm on Wednesday.

Gusts of 70 to 80mph are likely in northern and western parts of the Highlands and forecasters have warned that they could reach up to 90mph around the western isles.

Further south, the Isle of Wight and Anglesey off Wales were hit with 75mph gusts. In southern Scotland. the Whitesands in Dumfries closed to vehicles due to the River Nith flooding.

Severe gales will continue across northern Scotland," the Met Office warned. "Elsewhere turning colder with sunshine and showers, as rain becomes confined to south-east England.”

A cold front is moving south-east across the country, with temperatures behind it dropping “significantly”, the agency said on Twitter.

Forecasters warned of rain accompanied by strong winds and said that flooding of a few homes and businesses was likely, while flooding is also expected on roads.

Some Caledonian MacBrayne ferry services were cancelled due to the weather while Argyll Ferries said that due to high winds, sailings on the Gourock to Dunoon route may be liable to disruption or cancellation at short notice.

A landslide has been reported on the A76 between Kirkconnel and Kelloholm in Dumfries and Galloway and vehicles are being diverted.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) has also issued flood alerts in areas where thawing snow has already led to problems with lying water.

Scotland's Transport Minister Humza Yousaf warned travel could be disrupted and to check ahead.

Met Office spokesman Alex Burkill said: “Storm Georgina has arrived meaning it’s very windy across much of the UK especially in Scotland.

“We could see gusts of 60, 70mph and up to 80mph and could even get up to around 90mph around the western isles.”

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