High Winds of Monday 10th March 2008
10th March 2008
Update 1750hrs
Rain and fierce winds hit many parts of the UK, as what could be winter's worst storm moves in from the Atlantic.

Winds of up to 82 mph (130km/h) have brought down trees in south-west England, blocking roads, and some 7,000 homes are without electricity. There were seven severe flood warnings on the south west coast, where it was feared water could spill over sea walls when high tides peak around midday.

At midnight, Culdrose in south Cornwall and Milford Haven in Pembrokeshire were hit by 68mph gusts, while Berry Head in Brixham, south Devon, was hit by winds of 66mph. Wind speeds in the South West are expected to reach 80mph, as the storm progresses, according to forecasters.

Lyneham seemed to have escaped the worst winds as the first stage of the storm passed with barometric pressure rapidly falling, the winds picked up in velocity and averaged 31mph with winds gusting to 51 mph between 05.00 and 07.00. By 08.00 the strong gusting winds had dropped to 34 mph and the average mean wind speed fell to 14 mph as a lull appeared in the storm.

Across the country and at sea the winds caused havoc, a tug had to be sent to help a tanker struggling in high winds in the Solent. The 7,500-tonne ship, with 13 people and a cargo of gas oil onboard, was dragging its anchor off the Isle of Wight in severe gale force winds.

Around 4,500 people woke up this morning without power in the West Country and South Wales while 34 short haul flights have been cancelled at Heathrow Airport and 10 diverted at Gatwick.

Police in Devon & Cornwall, South Wales and Dorset, the areas most severely hit overnight, said there had been no major incidents. But all reported that trees have been uprooted on roads and rail lines and warned of the danger to morning commuters.

Travel chaos as storm hits
Travel mayhem reigned today as the storm ripped through Britain, with roads, rail, sea and air services all badly affected. British Airways had to cancel a number of short-haul flights at Heathrow and Gatwick airports after air traffic control chiefs imposed flow controls on take offs and landings.

Winds of more than 50mph caused all ground operations at Bristol International Airport to be suspended between 4am and 6am. This led to delays when the first flights took to the air later in the morning.

The high winds meant speed restrictions were put in place on some rail lines, while flooding caused lane closures on the UK’s busiest road - the M25. Ferry Companies have already cancelled tomorrow’s sailing from Bilbao in northern Spain to Portsmouth.

Flooding caused two lanes of the M25 to be closed in Surrey and the Highways Agency reported heavy traffic on the rest of the 119-mile orbital road. Locally fallen trees caused disruption to travel. The A3102 was partially blocked on Silver Street both ways at the White Horse Way junction in Mile Elm, because of a fallen tree. The A4361 also was partially blocked on High Street both ways near the B4005 Wharf Road junction in Wroughton, because of a fallen tree.