Storm Otto weather warning as Met Office confirms sudden stratospheric warming event – live
Disruption expected until afternoon
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Your support makes all the difference.Trains have been cancelled and hundreds of schools closed as Storm Otto lashes Scotland and England.
Rail lines between York and Edinburgh are currently blocked as low-cost rail operator Lumo warned this morning: “Due to high winds between York and Edinburgh all lines are blocked.
Meanwhile The Met Office has confirmed a new ‘stratospheric event’ that previously led to the 2018’s Beast from the East snowstorm has started.
Despite the name, Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW) can cause very cold conditions similar to five years ago, when the UK saw up to 22 inches of snowfall.
Meanwhile, electricity company SSEN has said there are 101 power outages in Scotland, and more than 130,000 customers on its priority services register have been contacted with storm advice.
Yellow weather warnings for wind have been issued for the whole of Scotland and a stretch of north and north-east England running from Sheffield to the Scottish border.
Storm Otto lashes UK with gale force winds of 80mph
Storm Otto is lashing parts of the UK this morning with gales of up to 80mph expected in the worst affected areas.
Otto is the first named storm of the season and the Met Office has yellow warnings for wind in place for swathes of northern England and Scotland.
The warnings - covering cities including Manchester, Hull, Newcastle Glasgow and Edinburgh - were in force from early this morning and will remain until Friday afternoon.
Residents in the affected areas have been told there is a chance of travel disruption, damage to some buildings and power cuts.
“A spell of very strong winds is expected during Friday morning, easing from the west during the afternoon,” the Met Office said.
Storm Otto lashes Scotland with gale force winds of 80mph
Weather warnings in place for cities including Manchester, Hull, Newcastle Glasgow and Edinburgh
Train firm Northern says tree blocking line between Harrogate and Knaresborough
The train firm Northern said a tree was blocking the line between Harrogate and Knaresborough, affecting a range of services.
The company also said: “Due to an object being caught on the overhead electric wires at Wakefield Westgate, all lines are blocked. Train services running through this station will be cancelled, delayed by up to 25 minutes or diverted.”
There were also reports of trees blocking some roads in the Harrogate area and an overturned lorry causing traffic problems on the A1M at Bedale.
Storm Otto: Reporter almost blown over by strong winds during live report
A reporter was almost blown over during strong winds as parts of the UK are set to be battered by 75mph winds today.
Highest wind gusts recorded over the past few hours
The Met Office has recorded the highest wind gusts over the past few hours as the first named storm of the year batters Scotland and England.
Schools closed and thousands without power as Storm Otto hits
Schools have been closed in Scotland as Storm Otto unleashes gales of upto 85mph.
Highland Council announced 28 schools and 19 nurseries would be closed across the area.
Meanwhile, electricity company SSEN has said there are 101 power outages in Scotland, and more than 130,000 customers on its priority services register have been contacted with storm advice.
Storm Otto: Train lines between York and Edinburgh blocked as Scotland is battered by 80mph winds
Train lines between York and Edinburgh are currently blocked as a result of Storm Otto.
Low-cost rail operator Lumo warned this morning: “Due to high winds between York and Edinburgh all lines are blocked.
“Trains running through these stations may be cancelled.
“Disruption is expected until 14.45.”
So far this morning, Lumo’s 7.57am service from Newcastle to London Kings Cross and its 9.24am Edinburgh to London Kings Cross train have been cancelled. The 5.45am London Kings Cross to Edinburgh train was terminated at Newcastle and will no longer call at Morpeth and Edinburgh.
Helen Coffey reports:
Train lines between York and Edinburgh blocked due to Storm Otto
Disruption is expected until this afternoon
Two yellow weather warnings issued today
The Met Office has issued two yellow weather warnings for wind today as Storm Otto batters Scotland and parts of England.
London North Eastern Railway says services have been cancelled
London North Eastern Railway (LNER) said a number of services had been cancelled, and train firm Northern said a tree was blocking the line between Harrogate and Knaresborough, affecting a range of services.
The company also said: “Due to an object being caught on the overhead electric wires at Wakefield Westgate, all lines are blocked. Train services running through this station will be cancelled, delayed by up to 25 minutes or diverted.”
There were also reports of trees blocking some roads in Harrogate and Leeds.
The storm, the first to be named this winter, has been labelled Otto by the Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI).
Porsche damaged by fallen tree as high speed winds batter parts of England
Pictures show a Porsche 911 car damaged by a fallen tree in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, as a result of storm Otto.
Strong winds tear roof of school
The strong winds brought to the UK by Storm Otto tore the roof off a school and crushed a sports car under a falling tree on Friday morning.
Angus Council shared images of the collapsed roof of Burnside Primary School, Carnoustie.
Repairs are being made on Friday and Monday while the school is closed for half-term.
A tree toppled onto a Porsche on Granby Road in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, causing anxiety for drivers in the area.
Charlie Lowe, a 29-year-old cake business owner from Harrogate, photographed the crushed Porsche on her way to work, telling the PA news agency: “I felt shocked and I think it’s nerve-wracking.
“I felt a bit nervous driving around Harrogate as a result.”
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