London: Just days after the devastation caused by Storm Eowyn, the UK is bracing for another storm, with Storm Herminia expected to bring heavy rain, strong gales, and hill snow from Sunday into Monday, 27th of January.
Storm Eowyn has been described by the Met Office as “probably the strongest” to hit the UK in at least a decade, with some areas experiencing the most intense weather in 20 to 30 years.
Despite its departure, unsettled weather continues and Storm Herminia, which will bring heavy rain, gales, and hill snow from the South West, is expected to hit in the coming days. While it won’t be as windy as before, the storm’s intensity, combined with damage already caused by Storm Eowyn, presents greater risks than usual.
Over a million people across the UK and Ireland have been left without power, and there have been significant travel disruptions.
A 100mph gust was recorded at Drumalbin in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, and wind speeds in parts of Ireland reached 114mph in Mace Head, County Galway.
By Saturday afternoon, 28,000 customers in Scotland and 140,000 homes and businesses in Northern Ireland were still without power, with around 460,000 homes affected in the Republic of Ireland.
A Cobra meeting was held to discuss recovery efforts, with engineers deployed to Northern Ireland and Scotland. Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney has urged for patience while power supplies and transport services are restored.
On Friday, 24th of January, a rare Met Office red weather warning was issued for much of southern Scotland, advising people to stay indoors due to hurricane-force winds.
While Storm Eowyn has cleared the UK, numerous yellow wind warnings remain in place for the coming days, with travel disruptions expected.
The Met Office has warned of possible flooding, which could affect a few homes and businesses, and interruptions to power supplies and services.
Heavy rain is expected to continue, with 20mm-40mm of rainfall likely across many areas and higher ground seeing up to 50-70mm.
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