NO GO ZONE UK weather: Do not travel warning as Storm Jocelyn sparks ‘major rail disruption’ after Isha killed five in 107mph gales
A "DO not travel" warning has been issued as Storm Jocelyn sparks "major rail disruption" across the UK.
Storm Isha killed five people in 107mph gales over the weekend, but just hours later a second weather front is set to blast the country.
Forecasters warned Storm Jocelyn's 80mph onslaught will likely hamper workers from getting roads and railways back to working order.
Storm Isha toppled trees onto many roads, train tracks and power lines and flooded others.
Snaps showed trampolines, cables and even a greenhouse cluttering up the railways.
ScotRail has said that some services are still suspended on its network while engineers check the lines for damage from Isha's battering.
Avanti West Coast is urging customers not to travel north of Preston after 3.30pm.
The operator said: "Your journey may be disrupted if you're travelling today or tomorrow due to the severe weather expected from Storm Jocelyn.
"Services to and from Scotland are finishing much earlier than usual today.
"Please do not travel north of Preston after 15:30."
TransPennine Express has also warned passengers to avoid travel from 3pm, when it expects "major disruption" on trains to and from Scotland.
The LNER service between London King's Cross and Scotland and the CrossCountry train from Newcastle to Edinburgh will also likely be affected.
National Rail said that Storm Jocelyn may well spark delays on other train lines across the UK.
The Met Office has issued amber and yellow warnings over rain and winds of up to 80mph.
An amber wind warning will be in force for northern and western Scotland from 6pm today until 8am tomorrow.
There is a good chance of power cuts, phone signal outages, damage to buildings, travel delays, road closures and life-threatening waves.
Which train lines has the storm affected?
- Avanti West Coast - delays today and tomorrow, passengers told "do not travel" north of Preston after 3.30pm
- CrossCountry - no trains north of Newcastle after 5.30pm
- LNER - passengers told not to travel north of Newcastle from 3pm today until midday tomorrow
- Lumo - some trains delayed after damage to overhead wires
- ScotRail - all trains suspended from 7pm tonight
- TransPennine Express - passengers told not to travel from 3pm today until midday tomorrow
A yellow wind warning will be in place for the Midlands, Wales, Northern Ireland, northern England and Scotland from 4pm today until 1pm tomorrow.
Western Scotland is also covered by a rain warning from 7am until 6pm tonight, and north east Scotland faces an ice warning from 11pm until 9am.
Lancashire, Cumbria and the western fringe of North Yorkshire will also be covered by a yellow rain warning from 11am until 7pm.
A Met Office map shows how Jocelyn is pushing across the Atlantic in Isha's wake, picking up power and speed.
Storm Jocelyn was named at midday yesterday as officials confirmed five people had died in separate weather-related incidents the night before.
All the storms in 2023/2024 so far
- Agnes
- Babet
- Ciarán
- Debi
- Elin
- Fergus
- Gerrit
- Henk
- Isha
- Jocelyn
Dad-of-five Jimmy Rowe was named as one of the victims by his heartbroken family after his car veered off a flooded road in County Mayo, Ireland.
Elsewhere, a man died in Bradford after reportedly falling down a "man-made trench" - which had been fenced off by barriers.
A neighbour said the storm blew the barriers over - and photos from the scene show them lying on the ground.
Three people died in separate weather-related crashes in Falkirk in Scotland, Londonderry in Northern Ireland and County Louth in Ireland.
Isha bought gusts of up to 107mph near Scotland's River Tay estuary, while homes in Donegal, Ireland went up in flames after they were thought to be struck by lightning.
Forecasters are now warning Brits to take care with Jocelyn sweeping across the UK from today, with amber and yellow weather alerts covering the entire country north of Cardiff and Peterborough.
The amber wind warning is in place for western and northern Scotland from 6pm until 8am tomorrow.
The Met Office said: "There is a good chance that power cuts may occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage.
"Probably some damage to buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs.
"Longer journey times and cancellations likely, as road, rail, air and ferry services may be affected.
"Some roads and bridges likely to close.
"Injuries and danger to life is likely from large waves and beach material being thrown onto coastal roads, sea fronts and properties."
Yellow rain, ice and wind warnings are also in place - with the wind alert covering the entirety of the UK north of Oxford.
The harsh conditions are hitting as Brits are still working to clean up after Storm Isha.
But others across the country are grieving after the storm claimed victims.
Dad Jimmy was killed after his car skidded on a flooded road in Ireland on Sunday night.
He was said to have been driving along N17 at Lisduff in Claremorris after dropping off his daughter.
The dad's devastated brother Albie Rowe said their family was in agony.
Injuries and danger to life is likely from large waves and beach material being thrown onto coastal roads, sea fronts and properties.
Albie said: “Folks, with a heavy heart I bring you the heartbreaking news that our baby brother Jimmy Rowe has lost his life on the roads.
“Give your loved ones a hug you never know when it’s the last.
"Love you forever Jimmy.”
Two other men were also killed in crashes the same night.
An 84-year-old man died after a Hyundai crashed into a fallen tree on the A905 in Fife, eastern Scotland.
The OAP was the front seat passenger in the car, whose other occupants were not injured.
Emergency services tragically pronounced him dead at the scene near Grangemouth, and are now pleading for drivers to come forward with dashcam footage.
Just two hours before a man in his 60s died in a crash involving two vans and a fallen tree in Limavady, County Londonerry.
Speaking to the incoming storm, Met Office Chief Meteorologist Steve Willington said: “Although this system will be a step down relative to Storm Isha, with the damage and clean up still underway, we could potentially see more impacts from Storm Jocelyn.
“Outbreaks of heavy rain on Tuesday could bring rainfall accumulations of 15 to 20 mm quite widely with 40 to 50 mm over higher ground in southwest Scotland, the Scottish Highlands and parts of northwest England.
"Wind gusts are expected to reach 55 to 65 mph across northwestern Scotland while there is potential for winds to gust to 75 to 80 mph in a few places, in particular exposed parts of the Western Isles and coastal northwest Scotland early on Wednesday morning.”
It comes after howling Storm Isha winds wrought havoc all over the UK overnight.
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