Christmas Travel LIVE: Traffic chaos on motorways while getaways hit by cancelled flights

People joining the Christmas getaway this weekend are being warned of heavy rain and winds of up to 80mph that are likely to cause travel disruption.

Millions of journeys are expected to be made across the country by car, in what the RAC breakdown service said could be a “pretty exhausting experience” for travellers due to the “wet and windy” conditions.

And it did not start well for many on Friday with hold-ups on many of the country’s main routes. They included motorists on the M5 who were stuck in 90-minute queues after hay bales on the back of a lorry caught fire near Exeter.

The incident closed two of four southbound lanes between J30 for Exeter and J31 for Shillingford Abbot and came at the same time there were queues caused by a crash on the M4 near Bristol and congestion around Dartford Bridge on the M25.

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Britons hoping for a white Christmas are set to be sorely disappointed with a mild and grey 25 December, forecasters have predicted.

For the Met Office to declare a white Christmas, a single snowflake has to be observed falling in the 24 hours of Christmas Day anywhere in the UK.

However, the day is likely to be settled, cloudy and dry with light winds for most of the UK, according to the forecaster.

There is a small chance of rain across north-west Scotland, though temperatures are expected to be widely mild, dashing any hopes of snow.

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A plane crash-landed in high winds at a Belfast airport as poor weather disrupted travel across the UK in the run-up to Christmas.

Belfast City Airport was forced to enact emergency procedures on Sunday after a plane’s nose wheel collapsed upon landing in adverse weather conditions. There were no reported injuries.

There were four crew and no passengers on board the Emerald Airlines flight when the hard landing occurred at around 4pm on Sunday afternoon, as winds of up to 82mph battered parts of the UK.

The incident caused the runway to be closed for the rest of the day, after what the airport said had been the busiest day of the year so far on Friday, and several flights were diverted to Belfast International Airport on Sunday evening.

It came as weather warnings were in force across the UK, save for eastern parts of England, causing ferries, trains and flights to be cancelled in a blow to passengers travelling to spend Christmas with their loved ones.

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Travel chaos is expected across the UK as the Christmas getaway gets underway.

It comes as weather warnings kick in for parts of the UK, roads and public transport could be disrupted by strong winds as the Met Office forecast a wet and windy weekend for many.

But one predictable issue that always arises during the festive season, is train delays, changes and a full shut down of the entire rail network on Christmas day.

This is because it is the one day of the year that engineering works take place, giving Network Rail and train companies an opportunity to carry out the largest heavy duty jobs when many across the UK are spending the day with loved ones.

Simon Calder explains:

Conditions are expected to improve this week after bad weather caused disruption during the Christmas getaway period.

The Met Office has forecast a “grey Christmas” with some sunny spells and “extremely mild” temperatures.

It comes after a “perfect storm” of adverse weather conditions and road congestion led to widespread disruption during the Christmas getaway.

The Met Office issued yellow warnings for wind which remained in place until 9pm on Sunday.

The warnings were in place in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and in England the warnings covered the North East, North West, South West and West Midlands as well as Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Hampshire.

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People have been ferried to Ireland on alternative routes after the temporary closure of Holyhead port in an effort to get people home for Christmas, a Welsh Cabinet Secretary has said.

The busy ferry port in Anglesey, North Wales, was forced to close following damage during Storm Darragh and is not set to reopen until January 15 at the earliest.

All ferry services between Dublin and Holyhead are currently cancelled, upending travel plans for thousands in the festive season.

But alternative sailings to Ireland have been taking place this weekend amid high winds and challenging conditions.

Gusts of up to 75mph were forecast for parts of the UK on Sunday, with wind warnings in force across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and large swathes of England.

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This Evening and Tonight:

Showers becoming confined to far eastern coasts and winds will slowly ease. Clear spells developing overnight for most, but cloud building in the west towards dawn. Feeling cold overnight with a touch of frost in some prone spots.

Monday:

Dry and fine in the east with prolonged periods of sunshine, though feeling chilly. Outbreaks of rain and extensive low cloud spreading into western areas, and turning mild.

Outlook for Tuesday to Thursday:

Predominantly settled, mild and cloudy for the Christmas period. Best chance of brighter spells to the east of high ground. Wetter and windier across northwest Scotland.

Britons hoping for a white Christmas are set to be sorely disappointed with a mild and grey 25 December, forecasters have predicted.

For the Met Office to declare a white Christmas, a single snowflake has to be observed falling in the 24 hours of Christmas Day anywhere in the UK.

However, the day is likely to be settled, cloudy and dry with light winds for most of the UK, according to the forecaster.

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