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Thousands were left without power after Storm Ashley hit the UK with 80mph winds | UK News

Matte Jr07 mins

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More than 50,000 people were left without power after Storm Ashley swept across Ireland and the UK yesterday.

The first named storm of the season arrived with a bang, as did water in droves, as rivers burst their banks and waves drenched coastal walkways.

Gusts of up to 132mph came after many areas were already experiencing flooding, some with their wettest months ever, with accelerated wind speeds recorded in Aberdaron, Scotland.

More than 100 flood warnings remained in place across the UK this morning, as well as a yellow weather warning for wind which has now been lifted.

The south Cornwall coast and large parts of the River Severn were especially at risk, and in Scotland the Scottish Environmental Flood Agency had 47 flood warnings in place, with eight issued by Natural Resources Wales.

The wind was so strong that some main roads in the north of England had to close, including the A66 between County Durham and the M6 ​​in Cumbria, which reopened this morning.

These photos and videos show how the storm hit those who couldn’t stay home….

Trees and branches fell on the Mallaig and Oban branches of the West Highland Line overnight

Trees and branches fell on the Mallaig and Oban branches of the West Highland Line overnight (Photo: Network Rail)

Big waves on the Dorset coast in West Bay, where two cliff falls have already been reported last week

Big waves on the Dorset coast in West Bay, where two cliff falls have already been reported last week (Photo: Tom Corban/Shutterstock)

Huge waves hit the seaside town of Aberystwyth in Ceredigion, leaving one man soaked despite retreating

Huge waves hit the seaside town of Aberystwyth in Ceredigion, leaving one man drenched despite retreating (Photo: Graham M. Lawrence/LNP)

Passenger on cruise ship MV Artania returns to tour bus after wet visit to West Bay in Dorset during Storm Ashley

A passenger on the MV Artania cruise ship returns to the tour bus after a wet visit to Dorset’s West Bay during Storm Ashley (Photo: Tom Corban/Shutterstock)

Flooding in Worcester after the River Severn burst its banks following Storm Ashley.

Flooding in Worcester after the River Severn bursts its banks (Photo: Emma Trimble/SWNS)

Sandbags and flood protection at the door of a shop in Galway city center as a Met Eireann orange alert for Kerry, Leitrim, Sligo, Clare, Donegal, Mayo and Galway came into effect at 10am on Sunday and will come into force to 8pm as Storm Ashley sweeps across the island of Ireland. The forecaster said the first named storm of the season will bring very strong and gusty winds from the south to southwest, along with high spring tides. The municipalities covered may experience gusts of up to 130 km/h. Photo date: Sunday, October 20, 2024. PA photo. See the story of PA TEMPO StormAshley Ireland. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Sandbags and flood protection outside a shop in Galway city center as a Met Eireann orange alert came into force (Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Wire)

A person on the beach in a swimsuit in Salthill, Galway, as a Met Eireann orange alert for Kerry, Leitrim, Sligo, Clare, Donegal, Mayo and Galway came into effect

A person on the beach in Salthill, Galway, was undeterred by the storm (Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Wire)

Cars were seen passing through flood waters under the town's bridge near Weymouth harbor in Dorset

Cars were seen passing through flood waters under the town’s bridge near Weymouth harbor in Dorset (Photo: BNPS)

A wrecked lorry on the A249 caused major traffic disruption near Sittingbourne in Kent following torrential rain caused by Storm Ashley

A wrecked lorry on the A249 caused major traffic disruption near Sittingbourne in Kent following torrential rain caused by Storm Ashley (Photo: UKNIP)

Power cuts were widespread in Ireland after power cables were ripped out by the force of the wind, with the hardest hit areas being May, Galway, Sligo, Clare and Kerry, North Cork and North Dublin.

The first named storm of the season also forced the postponement of several sports games.

Several Gaelic Athletic Association finals have been postponed and this year’s Great South Run in Portsmouth has been canceled completely, with 23,000 runners affected.

The dangerous conditions caused dozens of flights to be canceled yesterday, including at Dublin and Belfast airports.

There was also little chance of traveling there by sea, as P&O Ferries announced that its sailings between Larne in Northern Ireland and Cairnryan in southwest Scotland would be canceled on Sunday.

Meanwhile, on Saturday afternoon, a lorry crossed the A249 near Sittingbourne in Kent amid warnings of high winds, although it was unclear exactly what caused the accident.

The Met Office said winds will ease today as Storm Ashley moves north-east, with a mix of scattered showers and sunny spells expected in its wake.

More frequent can be expected in the southeast.

The weather is likely to become “unstable” later in the week, bringing possible heavy rain and strong winds once again.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing [email protected].

For more stories like this, check out our news page.

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