Storm Isha - named by the Met Office.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/uk-warnings#?date=2024-01-21

I think this is the earliest in the season that we have reached the letter 'I' in the met office naming system. The previous record being Storm Imogen on 8 Feb 2016.
Its certainly been an active season so far.

Amber warnings for wind for some parts, yellow for the rest, with widespread gales possible across the UK. Some fairly worrying flood concerns too where lots of rain will fall during a rapid snow and ice melt onto frozen ground.

The Weather section was created 14 years ago, in response to years of weather threads before then.

Thats a little scary.

Isn't it! I think I've been on here for at least 19 years and the weather threads have been a lovely constant 😊

Thanks @OhYouBadBadKitten thats really helpful.

Peaking between about 9 and midnight, here in Durham but will still be bad before then with a lot of rain. Be prepared for the A1(M) to be flooded around Scotch Corner.

I would aim to be here by dinner time.

All trains in my area have been cancelled from 7pm tomorrow until mid-morning on Monday.

How bad do you think it’s going to be in London, @OhYouBadBadKitten? And thank you for these threads!

We’re in rural Wales, in an exposed area near the Brecon Beacons. Like others on this thread, we’re used to bad weather but far from panicking, these threads by OYBBK are useful in deciding how much I need to alter my plans. Today, for example, I’ve done what I was going to do tomorrow because driving across the Brecon Beacons to the Valleys in a named storm is just stupid if you can avoid it. However, changing my plans put other people out today so I don’t do it unless I have to. I don’t comment on all the threads but watch them regularly and OYBBK and Gloria are invaluable on days like these.

What I don't understand is my DD in Cardiff is in the amber area with Met Office forecasting max 28mph winds with 55mph gusts but here in East Surrey we are in the yellow area with max 33mph and 58mph gusts. How does that work?!

Fuck. Ill kid meant I've not got up to mums to secure anything. Was going Friday but two.hourly medication scuppered that.

Also I hate sleeping in a top floor flat in the wind.

I am (or was?) due to drive from the South Coast to west Cornwall on Sunday afternoon and evening with two disabled passengers.

Advice would be much appreciated, my inclination is I should wait until after the storm to reassess and leave 24 hours later at least.

The worst of it looks to be around Northern Ireland and western Scotland, where it looks like it will be particularly nasty overnight tomorrow night. I would certainly be taking this seriously there.

I wouldn't rely too much on apps for trying to assess risk, I'd be using the met office warnings as a guide. Remember these are impact warnings, rather than based on a particular threshold of speed. They take into account over what sort of area the weather is occurring - population density, time of day etc.

Generally, and this is my own personal interpretation - in yellow wind warnings I don't hike under trees, I secure my property and I'm cautious around outdoor activities. I know that train travel may well be impacted. In amber warnings, I avoid travelling, I ensure that I'm prepared for a power cut. In red warnings I do not go anywhere.

Other people will have their own thresholds around remaining sensible and safe. But when authorities say 'do not travel', unless you are in a critical job, or it is a true emergency, do not travel.

We’ve had schools closed all week in north east Scotland due to snow. Pre lims in school were postponed. Looks like they may be home Monday too.
I don’t agree with other poster in north east Scotland. 2022 was horrific. We had no power for almost a week! That’s not every day weather. Looks like it may be similar again.

I don't want to try and pin down specifics for any area other than those I've highlighted already. Different models are differing a little in the shape of the low pressure and that makes a difference to how high the wind speeds will be.

Checking in to follow this thread through tomorrow. I'm on the west coast of Scotland in an exposed coastal spot (not quite close enough to worry about wave damage but very close to the water with no other buildings to shelter us from the full force) the wind's really picked up already this evening, I sleep in the attic bedroom and am not looking forward to tomorrow. Thankfully we have nowhere to be so staying safely inside.

I have this board favourited for sensible advice and knowledgeable interpretation of data, along with Windy Wilson. None of the tabloid exaggeration! Thank you oybbk and Gloria.

On Monday morning, you will know from news reports - may need to check local papers for anything off the main roads - what the damage is and how likely you are to have an uneventful journey.

In Northern Ireland and I can't remember when schools ever closed due to windy weather...maybe that one time there was supposed to be a hurricane

Sashikawaii ~ as PickAChew says, I would wait until tomorrow. Leaving this afternoon, you'd be heading towards the worst of it by this evening.

Question about lack of power - how do you get information?

A very rough summary. Please do not use this to make decisions on activities today. Instead refer to the Met Office

Generally a relatively calm morning with widespread gusts of 30-50mph (I did say relatively!!) away from northern Wales, where the wind will pick up very quickly. By lunchtime the winds picking up in northern England and by mid to late afternoon, especially around the Pennines, perhaps gusts to 70mph there.

Elsewhere by the evening widespread gusts even inland in the south of around 60mph

The worst of the winds are still being shown in different locations by different models along the northern met office amber warning areas. However models are showing gusts to 80- 90mph in isolated spots here and no doubt in those high gust prone areas, that tend to make the news, higher.

A squeeze along the SE coasts in the early hours brings risks of winds of around 70mph+ there.

I'm out for much of today, so won't be able to answer travel questions. Just use your wise heads when planning and try and complete journeys before the evening if you can. In amber areas, avoid travelling when they kick in. Aim to reach your destination by that point.

Power cut info: https://www.nationalgrid.co.uk/power-cut-information

Thank you!

Yes, thank you both and especially OhYouBadBadKitten.
If I stuck to our original plans we would be right in the wrong place at the wrong time. I will wait until we can be sure of a safe journey.

Getting windy already in mid-Wales and the river is high again after last night’s rain. Battening down the hatches for later.

Some pretty pushy gusts on the motorway this morning in the south, even though they are only to around 40mph.

Ophelia in 2018? All schools and unis closed in the South.

W and NW of Ireland (Donegal, Mayo, Galway) have upgraded to red warning.

https://www.rte.ie/news/2024/0120/1427729-weather-warning/#:~:text=Storm%20Isha%3A%20Status%20Red%20warning%20issued%20for%20three%20counties&text=Met%20%C3%89ireann%20has%20issued%20a,and%20is%20valid%20until%209pm.