Storm Ciara – Biggest storm in seven years thunders towards Britain as snow and 80mph winds to spark travel chaos
BRITS face a “Black Sunday” for travel as Storm Ciara sweeps into the country with 90mph hurricane-force winds.
The weather bomb is set to cause road, rail and ferry mayhem, and flight cancellations this weekend.
Storm Ciara is strengthening as its air pressure plunges by 24 milibars in 24 hours to 12noon tomorrow, qualifying it as a ‘weather bomb’.
“It’s Black Sunday for travel,” said RAC spokesman Simon Williams.
“More road accidents are expected due to debris and vehicles being blown off course.”
Network Rail has warned people not to travel and airports are expected to axe flights.
The disruptions may continue into Monday if repair work on the lines is effected.
Passengers travelling on Sunday and Monday morning are also urged to check for updates before they travel.
Forecasters said Ciara will be more powerful than any tempest since the Met Office began naming storms in 2015 – and the strongest storm for seven years, since 2013, which saw the St Jude’s Day storm and Christmas gale chaos.
Weather maps show the 1,000 mile wide storm being catapulted across the Atlantic, bringing 30ft waves to South-West and North-West coasts and 50ft waves offshore.
Gales will continue as the South sees its first snow and sleet flurries of winter on Monday and Tuesday with an inch of snow at low levels in Scotland.
ROYAL PARKS CLOSED
London’s major parks including Hyde Park, Richmond Park, Kensington Gardens and Green Park will be closed on Sunday due to safety concerns over Storm Ciara.
Bushy Park, The Green Park, Greenwich Park, The Regent’s Park & Primrose Hill, Richmond Park and St James’s Park will also be shut.
The Royal Parks said it was concerned about its “significant population of ancient and veteran trees that are vulnerable to high winds,” and has taken this rare measure to protect public safety.
In addition, Brompton Cemetery and Victoria Tower Gardens will be closed.
All parks are due to reopen on Monday.
CIARA ‘WORST SINCE 2013’
Residents have been warned to expect flooding of homes and businesses and delays to bus and train services.
Power lines could be downed and coastal routes and sea fronts blasted by large waves.
Sky News forecaster Chris England said: “It’s likely Ciara will be the most intense storm since 2013.”
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Rain warnings are in place on Sunday for south and north Wales, Cumbria and Lancashire, southern Scotland and Northern Ireland with up to 80mm of rain (3.1 inches) expected.
The average rainfall in South Wales for the whole of February is 85mm (3.3 inches).