Storm Bert live updates: Body found after man swept away by river as close to month’s rain falls in 48 hours
Close to 400 areas at risk of flooding as Storm Bert brings torrential rains and winds to UK
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Your support makes all the difference.A body has been found in the search for a 75-year-old man missing in the River Conwy, as the heavy rainfall and thawed snow brought by Storm Bert places nearly 400 areas in the UK at risk of flooding.
Storm Bert brought nearly a month’s worth of rain in less than 48 hours, with winds of up to 82mph recorded, causing chaos for those travellling by road and rail. As temperatures rise, melting snow and heavy rain are causing flooding – with the Met Office issuing six weather alerts on Sunday.
Homes and cars were submerged in Wales as rising waters were reported in towns across the country, including Pontypridd, Ebbw Vale and Aberdare.
A body was found in the search for Brian Perry, who went missing in the River Conwy near the market town of Llanwrst on Saturday, North Wales Police said. A man in his 60s died after a tree fell on his car in Hampshire, while 10 people were rescued from a home hit by a landslide in north Wales, rescue services said.
Man dies as Storm Bert batters UK bringing flooding, power cuts and travel chaos
Storm Bert map: When and where UK will be hit by snow and winds after Met Office issue weather warning
Every storm name for 2024/25 revealed as Met Office confirm Storm Bert to hit UK this weekend
How to stay safe during Storm Bert
Championship football match in Lancashire postponed due to torrential rain
A Championship football match in Lancashire has been postponed due to torrential rain.
Blackburn Rovers were set to face Portsmouth at Ewood Park at 3pm on Saturday but the match will now be played at a later date.
In a post on X, Blackburn Rovers said: “Due to an unplayable pitch caused by torrential rain, today’s match against Portsmouth at Ewood Park has been postponed by the match official.
“We will announce details of the rearranged fixture in due course.”
Watch: Snow falls across England and Scotland during Storm Bert
Every storm name for 2024/25 revealed
The Met Office has already confirmed the storm names to be used across 2024 and 2025.
The new storms list – first launched in 2015 – for each year generally runs from early September until late August the following year, coinciding with the beginning of autumn.
James, Lewis and Mavis are all included in the new list in honour of figures from the Met Office’s 170-year history.
Find out more here:
Every storm name for 2024/25 revealed as Storm Bert hits UK
James, Lewis and Mavis are all included on the new list
Wales set to face up to 75mm of rain widely over weekend
Wales is expected to face up to 75mm of rain widely over the weekend, with 150mm possible in some areas.
The strongest gust recorded so far by the Met Office is 82mph at Capel Curig in Conwy, north Wales, with winds of 70mph expected around coastal areas.
Storm Bert mapped: When and where UK will be hit by snow and winds
The Met Office has warned Brits to prepare for a weekend of rain, wind and snow as Storm Bert sweeps the country.
Weather warnings are in place every day until Sunday – including more severe amber alerts – as the country braces for more wintry weather after temperatures plummeted earlier in the week.
The majority of the UK will be facing at least one weather warning in the days to come, with Scotland and northern England expected to be the worst affected.
My colleagues Athena Stavrou and Andy Gregory report:
Storm Bert map: When and where UK will be hit by snow and wind
The majority of the UK will be facing at least one weather warning in the days to come
In pictures: Storm Bert blankets parts of UK in snow
Watch: Newcastle airport runway ‘decimated’ by snow as Storm Bert hits
How to stay safe during Storm Bert
The Met Office has warned Brits to prepare for a weekend of rain, wind and snow as Storm Bert sweeps the country.
It has sparked warnings of “atrocious” travel conditions and power cuts as the “multi-hazard” weather event brings heavy snow and torrential rain to swathes of Britain.
An amber alert for heavy snow and ice will be in force in between 7am and 5pm on Saturday, for an area north of Scotland’s central belt, while other areas in the UK have been issued with yellow weather warnings for wind, snow and rain.
So, what can we do to prepare and protect ourselves, and our homes, from these turbulent conditions? Find out here:
How to stay safe during Storm Bert
The majority of the UK will be facing at least one weather warning in the days to come
Storm Bert causes travel chaos across UK and Ireland
Storm Bert battered the UK and Ireland with snow, rain and strong winds on Saturday, closing several railway lines, bridges and roads.
Snow covered roads and stranded cars in parts of the northern UK, while the runway at the Newcastle airport in northeast England was blanketed in white, briefly disrupting flights.
In Scotland, some train services were suspended due to the weather, ScotRail said on X. The Severn Bridge, which connects Wales to England, was shut due to strong winds, the National Highways website showed.
In Ireland, the heavy rain led to flooding in parts of the west coast, making some roads impassable. The Irish Meteorological Service placed a "status red" rain warning – its highest level – for the counties of Cork and Galway from Friday night. Floodwater could be seen rising towards the top of parked cars in the Donegal town of Killybegs.
Clean-up begins in Ireland after Storm Bert as thousands still left without power
Clean-up operations are under way after Storm Bert swept across the island of Ireland, causing flooding and thousands of power outages.
Power cuts affected 60,000 customers at the height of the outage; ESB teams are still working to restore supplies to the thousands still left without electricity.
Status red rain warnings were in place for Cork and Galway until 10am on Saturday, with an orange alert for rain in place for counties Waterford, Kerry, Clare, Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim.
Read more here:
Clean-up begins after Storm Bert as thousands still left without power
‘You can’t miss a day’s trade. I think that’s what’s going to really hurt us,’ one Cork business owner said.
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