EYE OF THE STORM
AN EMERGENCY Cobra meeting has been called today as Storm Eunice prepares to lash Britain with 100mph winds.
Ministers will meet in Whitehall to thrash out a response to the mega gale which has sparked a slew of severe weather warnings.
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They will gather this afternoon after troops were put on a state of "high readiness" to intervene if necessary.
The meeting will be led by top minister Michael Ellis.
A Government spokesman said: “The Minister for the Cabinet Office will chair a COBR this afternoon to discuss the response to Storm Eunice."
Boris Johnson added: "The Met Office has issued a Red Weather Warning for much of the UK.
"We should all follow the advice and take precautions to keep safe. I thank responders for all their efforts."
It will be the second time the Government's top crisis committee has met in the space of 24 hours.
Eunice has already shut schools in parts of the UK with pupils told to stay at home.
Forecasters fear its predicted 100mph winds could be the worst to hit the country in 30 years.
The severe weather front was upgraded to a RED "danger to life" warning following the destruction caused by Storm Dudley on Wednesday night.
The tempest is set to be the worst for more than 30 years, with scientists warning it will involve rare gusts last seen during the Great Storm of 1987.
The severe weather has prompted the Met Office to issue a rare “stay indoors” warning.
Soldiers are also on standby as Eunice threatens blow off roofs, bring down power lines and send dangerous debris flying.
Today's squall will be less severe in terms of wind speeds than those recorded 35 years ago, when 120mph blasts hit the country.
However, the storms have the same structure - meaning Eunice could be worse than anticipated, Dr Ambrogio Volonte of Reading University told
In Bristol and Wales, likely to be two of the hardest-hit areas, schools have been forced to shut today over fears pupils and teachers could be in danger.
Schools in Cardiff, Swansea, most of the South Wales valleys and Bristol have closed and will move to remote learning.
As Britain braces for Storm Eunice...
- Motorists warned to NOT travel by RAC unless absolutely necessary
- All trains in Wales cancelled for Friday
- Schools in majority of Welsh areas closed as pupils told to stay at home
- Bristol City Council was advising schools to close in the city because of the torrent
- A man died falling of a HGV lorry on Wednesday during Storm Dudley
- Storm Eunice set to be the worst storm UK has seen in years
- Brits bracing for 100mph winds and 8inches snow in the north
- Network Rail said disruption tomorrow is 'inevitable'
- Met Office upgraded storm to red warning - bringing 'danger to life'
- Legoland, Chessington World of Adventures, Longleat and London Eye closed on Friday because of severe weather
- Thirteen pedigree dogs were electrocuted to death after a falling power line crashed onto a kennel
Brits have been warned to NOT travel after Storm Dudley claimed a life on Wednesday night.
A man, in his sixties, plunged around 12 feet after falling from a lorry.
It is believed he was attempting to unload heavy goods in high winds when he lost his balance.
Emergency services were called to the industrial incident in Marston Green, near Solihull, West Mids, at 9pm.
Storm Eunice has now been declared a major incident by Avon and Somerset over the "potential for severe disruption" to the region.
The forum, whose members include the emergency services, health services, Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Environment Agency, said members of the public should avoid travelling on Friday morning "wherever possible".
In a statement, they said 90mph gusts could "cause coastal flooding and affect trees and temporary structures".
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And motorists in Devon and Cornwall are being urged to stay at home unless the journey is "absolutely necessary."
Superintendent Adrian Leisk, strategic lead for roads policing in Devon and Cornwall, said: "Please do not travel in your vehicle unless your journey is absolutely necessary.
"If you can stay or work at home, then please do - particularly in the morning when the red weather warning is in place."
Met Office forecaster Becky Mitchell said: "With the wind gusts we are forecasting at the moment, we've only seen a handful of storms in the past 30 years that have brought similar gusts.
"It's got the potential to be up there as quite a notable storm."
A Network Rail spokesman said disruption is "inevitable", as the Met Office issued a red weather warning.
The RAC has urged motorists not to drive during Storm Eunice unless it is absolutely necessary following the alert for snow, heavy rain and winds.
🔵 Read our weather forecast live blog for the latest updates
RAC Breakdown spokesperson Rod Dennis said: "With a rare red weather warning for extreme winds in place tomorrow, safety on the roads will be paramount.
"It's vitally important drivers don't set out during Storm Eunice unless it can't be avoided."
He said people who can work from home "should definitely do so".
"We also urge people not to be tempted to drive to the coast to take photos of the extreme conditions," he added.
National Highways said that it was closing the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge at the Dartford Crossing in Kent and the Orwell Bridge near Ipswich, Suffolk, from early today.
High-sided and other “vulnerable” vehicles such as caravans and motorbikes are at a “particularly high risk” of being blown over, travel chiefs say.
The RAC cautioned against taking those vehicles on certain sections of roads including the Humber Bridge, junctions four to five on the M5 and junctions 36 to 45 on the M6.
The red weather warning covers the coastline of Devon and Cornwall as well as the south coast of Wales.
It will come into effect from 7am today.
High winds will tear down trees, rip roofs off buildings and fell power lines, meteorologists say.
An amber warning for wind has been issued for the entire south of the country. It stretches as far north as Blackpool.
The alert is in place between 3am and 9pm today.
The Met Office issues warnings ahead of severe or hazardous weather which has the potential to cause "damage, widespread disruption and danger to life."
Which warnings are in place when?
- A yellow warning for 40-70mph winds in parts of Northern Ireland, the north of England and the Midlands is in place between 7am and 6pm
- A yellow warning for two to five centimetres of snow on low ground and 10 to 30 centimetres of snow on hills for Scotland and parts of northern England is in place between 3am and 6pm
- An amber warning for 60-80mph winds across much of England is in place from 3am until 9pm
- A red warning of 70-90mph winds in the West Country and parts of Wales is in place from 7am until noon
Red warnings are rare, and the service said: "Red means you should take action now to keep yourself and others safe from the impact of the weather.
"Widespread damage, travel and power disruption and risk to life is likely.
"You must avoid dangerous areas and follow the advice of the emergency services and local authorities."
The nightmare day will be made worse in Scotland and northern England by heavy snow. A yellow warning has been issued.
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Up to 8inches will fall - with strong winds bringing "very poor visibility, blizzard conditions and drifting of lying snow."
The whole of Northern Ireland is also bracing for a snow warning.
Road and rail networks will be badly hit, while those hoping to fly may also face problems.
Prince Charles has cancelled a trip to South Wales tomorrow as a result of the weather.
Attractions including the London Eye and Legoland in Windsor will be closing their doors.
Those worst-affected by yesterday's storm are bracing for more destruction.
Cars were crushed in Greater Manchester. In Salford, a roof was blown from a house.
And in Kilwinning, Scotland, a tree crashed through a railway power line after being ripped from its roots by gusts of powerful wind.
An emergency Cobra meeting was summoned today to hammer out a plan of action.
HEAVY SNOW AND GALE-FORCE WIND
Ministers have been urged to ensure the Cobra meeting results in an emergency support plan to deal with power cuts.
Liberal Democrat communities spokesman Tim Farron said: "Whenever a storm hits, the Government is disgracefully unprepared to support the thousands of people affected, they never learn from their mistakes.
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"This time, as people up and down the country are barraged by stormy weather, the Government must be on hand to provide support.
"The Cobra meeting must agree on an emergency support plan including providing food, emergency accommodation and electricity generators for those affected by any power cuts."
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