UK weather: New ‘red’ Storm Babet warning amid fears ‘we haven’t seen the last of this’

Storm Babet shows no signs of abating as downpours continue to batter the UK today (Saturday, October 21) with three people dead and another red “danger to life” warning in place. The rare red weather[1] warning has been issued for parts of eastern Scotland all day, prompting First Minister Humza Yousaf to warn: “We have not seen the last of this.” Yellow and amber warnings for rain that were in place across much of England overnight have expired, however, a yellow warning for wind remains in place until 12pm across the north east of England and eastern Scotland.

Across England, there were over 353 flood warnings – where flooding is expected – in parts of the north east, Yorkshire, north west, East Anglia, south west and Midlands.

Meanwhile 55,000 people were left without power on Friday as a result of the storm. Around 45,000 of those were reconnected to the grid as of the evening, the Energy Networks Association said.

Leeds Bradford Airport remains closed after heavy winds forced a passenger plane to skid off a runway on Friday, although the airport should reopen at 10am on Saturday. The Met Office said in a post on X the highest rainfall total on Friday was 84mm in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. Met forecaster Jonathan Vautrey told the PA news agency: “The focus of the rainfall from Saturday shifts back northwards over towards eastern and northern Scotland.

Some parts of those areas have seen about a month and a half’s worth of rain already, but there’s another band that’s forecast to track its way northwards over the course of the night and push its way towards relatively similar areas. “So there are further red and amber rain warnings in force for Saturday, with the potential to push those areas close towards two months of rain in the span of three days.” Mr Vautrey said the yellow wind warning across eastern Scotland and north-east England could bring “gales in excess of 60-70 miles per hour”, but added: “That is going to work its way off (the coast) throughout Saturday, so from a wind aspect there will be some improvement.”

A man in his 60s died after getting caught in fast-flowing flood water in the town of Cleobury Mortimer in Shropshire. The death was the third since Storm Babet first hit the UK on Wednesday. Police Scotland previously said a falling tree hit a van near Forfar in Angus on Thursday evening, killing the 56-year-old driver.

A 57-year-old woman also died on Thursday after being swept into a river in the region. Flooding caused 70-minute delays on the A1 near Grantham on Friday, National Highways said, while further south, Suffolk declared a major incident as Storm Babet caused “major flooding” across the county. The rural village of Debenham was cut off by flooding, residents said, while tractors were being used to rescue people caught in the flood water.

Around 50 people were sheltering in the local leisure centre there and sleeping on crash mats, staff said. Elsewhere fire services in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire shared pictures on X of vehicles semi-submerged in water after drivers were rescued. Clive Stanbrook, area manager at Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service, told BBC[6] Breakfast on Saturday more than 100 people had been rescued on Friday, including 20 people from a care home in Duffield.

The “unprecedented” weather event has already forced some residents in eastern Scotland to evacuate their homes, cut off rural communities, and caused roads and bridges to collapse.

References

1. ^ weather (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
2. ^ Two women killed in multi-vehicle collision near Bristol (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
3. ^ DWP GBP600 payment will land from November as millions set alert (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
4. ^ Third Storm Babet death as man dies after getting caught in flood (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
5. ^ Martin Lewis’ MSE says energy provider to cut bills by 50% for customers (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
6. ^ BBC (www.bristolpost.co.uk)