Yellow weather warning issued over bank holiday weekend after Storm Lilian batters UK
It comes ahead of what could be the busiest August bank holiday on the roads on record
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The UK will be hit with heavy rain on Saturday after Storm Lilian swept across the country causing power cuts, cancelled flights and disruption at music festivals.
The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning with 50mm and 70mm of rain expected across parts of England.
The warning, which came into force at 6am and lasts until 1pm, stretches from Portsmouth in Hampshire up to Ipswich in Suffolk.
It comes ahead of what could be the busiest August bank holiday on the roads on record.
The RAC estimates 19.2 million leisure trips by car will be made over the weekend, with 3.2 million on Friday alone.
The heaviest of the rain is expected to move away around mid-afternoon, but showers will linger around central and southeast England, as well as western Scotland.
On Friday, trees collapsed, market stalls were destroyed and scaffolding ripped apart as wind speeds reached more than 75mph in some areas of northern England, southern Scotland and Wales.
British Airways cancelled 14 flights which were scheduled to take off from Heathrow on Friday morning, and delayed others.
LNER, Transpennine Express, Northern Rail, Avanti West Coast and many other train lines all reported delays as a result of weather disruption.
Hundreds of homes across northern England were also left without power on Friday morning, with electricity companies trying to reconnect homes.
Northern Powergrid said that 60,000 customers were affected by “high levels of disruption” to the power supplies, adding at midday on Friday that 27,000 customers had been reconnected to the grid.
Bolton Food and Drink festival saw around 20 stalls demolished by strong winds in “scenes of devastation” as stocks were destroyed.
Leeds Festival was also thrown into chaos, as festivalgoers desperately tried to hold down tents being battered by strong winds, while others filmed tents flying through the air.
Organisers remain optimistic that festivalgoers will enjoy an “amazing weekend” despite the setbacks.
Liam Eslick, a meteorologist at the Met Office, said: “With that yellow warning, expect some small travel disruption.
“I know it’s the start of the bank holiday so people may be out and about trying to get to their holiday destinations.
“We do say take care when driving on roads, stick to the main roads where you can because more local tracks could see some surface water.
“So do take care when travelling around through Saturday morning.”
Moving into Sunday, conditions are expected to ease – though some showers are forecast in the east, Northern England and southern Scotland.
Winds will pick up once again and it will be blustery for much of the UK.
But, according to the Met Office, this will not be as strong as the winds on Friday morning.
Looking ahead to the Bank Holiday Monday, Mr Eslick said: “Monday looks like the best of the days.
“There will be more in the way of some sunshine and winds are expected to ease.
“It will be a lot calmer coming into the Bank Holiday Monday and it will be nice to have that extra day this weekend to enjoy.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments