SHUTDOWN! At least 220,000 homes without power, trains suspended and 130 Heathrow flights cancelled as 99mph St Jude's Storm lashes Britain
- At least 220,000 homes in southern England are without power - 40,000 in south-west and 100,000 in south-east
- Roads in chaos as trees fall onto roads as high winds howl through the south of England and Wales
- Flash floods reported in Cornwall, Dorset, Hampshire and Sussex - Devon and Cornwall police report 122 incidents
- Amendments and cancellations on First Capital Connect, Southeastern, Greater Anglia and Stansted Express
- Also disruption on East Coast, c2c, First Great Western, Southern, Gatwick Express and South West Trains
- Ferries from Poole and Weymouth to Guernsey & Jersey cancelled and hovercrafts to Isle of Wight suspended
- About 130 flights cancelled at London Heathrow Airport today - double the previous estimate
- Boy, 14, believed to have drowned yesterday after swimming with friends in waves off Newhaven, East Sussex
- Canoeist dies after being pulled from swollen River Tees near Barnard Castle, County Durham, after capsizing
- Have you taken any pictures of the damage caused by St Jude's Storm? Send them to us at pictures@dailymail.co.uk
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Hurricane-force winds and torrential rain are battering southern England with gusts of almost 100mph ripping up trees, causing flash flooding and leaving at least 220,000 homes without power.
Millions of commuters have been left stranded and warned not to travel today unless it is essential, with at least 40 railway lines blocked, roads left impassable and hundreds of flights cancelled because of the most dangerous storm for years.
Several people have been injured after they were hit by pieces of falling trees as they went to work this morning.
The Environment Agency has 19 flood warnings and 147 flood alerts in place.
Trees have been brought down by high winds, damaging property, and a number of roads left impassable by floodwater.
A teenage boy is also feared dead after being swept out to sea in Newhaven, East Sussex yesterday afternoon.
The Met Office said wind reached more than 99mph at the Needles on the Isle of Wight at 5am, but less exposed areas are also being buffeted by 70mph gusts.
Scroll down for travel update and videos
Carnage: This street in Leyton, east London was strewn with debris after raging winds tore down shopfront scaffolding
Dangerous: A Met police officer walks along a street where a roof was ripped off by the strong winds in central London this morning
Crush: A tree fell on a bus on Turnpike Lane in north London. Police closed the road
Twisted metal: A crane above Downing Street collapsed onto the roof of the Cabinet Office
Chaos: Departure boards at Victoria station showing train cancellations. Commuters face rush-hour chaos as they wake up to the impact of the worst storm in years
Stark: Rail services in southern Britain have been cancelled or are running to amended timetables because of fears for passenger safety
THE ST JUDE'S STORM IN NUMBERS: HOW 100MPH HAS HIT BRITAIN
- 99mph gusts measured on Isle of Wight
- 220,000 homes left without power
- 40 railway lines blocked by 100 trees
- 130 flights cancelled from Heathrow
- 19 flood warnings and 147 flood alerts
- 3 men in London injured after being hit
There are more than 140,000 households who woke to no electricity this morning,
Tracey Elsey, communications manager for UK power networks, told Radio 4’s Today Programme: ‘We’ve seen a lot more powers cuts and damage reported particularly in the last hour. We’ve got close to 140,000 people without power at the moment – that’s properties, so homes and businesses.
‘We’ve still got about 40,000 people off in the South East, that’s our region that runs from Brighton up to Kent. In our East of England region, which goes from Essex up to the North Norfolk coast to we’ve seen a huge rise in reported power cuts – 100,000 properties off power.
‘(The power lines) are hit by trees – the branches touch the overhead lines or any other debris that’s whipped up by the wind overnight can affect the overhead power lines.
(The system) is built to be resilient to the weather. It’s just that when we have extremely high winds, it can bring down lots of trees. We actually run a year-round tree-cutting programme, and spend about £21million a year trying to keep the trees away from our overhead lines.’
Travel operators have taken major precautions to protect passengers. Many train companies in the South are running amended timetables, with some not operating at all until late morning.
On the roads both Severn bridges are closed, the A249 Sheppey Crossing in Kent is closed due to strong winds and there are 30mph speed limits on the Dartford Crossing in Kent.
About 130 flights are cancelled at London's Heathrow Airport today, while ferry journeys have also been disrupted, with P&O Condor, DFDS Seaways and Hovertravel all reporting cancellations.
A bus travels past fallen trees in Islington, north London. Emergency staff say they were called out numerous times for people injured by falling branches and debris
Felled: A tree blocking the road in Brighton during the early stages of the Storm. Many roads in the south-west were blocked, causing rush hour chaos
Barrier: A Network Rail image of a tree blocking the railway line at Beltring in Kent. 40,000 homes in the south-east were without power this morning
Network Rail posted this picture of a tree on the train line in Keymer, a village in West Sussex, England
Collapse: An uprooted tree and an upended bench at an unknown location, posted by Carrie Luxembourg
Blockade: Cyclists look at a fallen tree in Islington, north London today
Unexpected: Facebook user Lucy Pegrum found someone else's trampoline in her garden thanks to strong winds. Right, the pavement is cracked as a tree is uprooted in Walthamstow, north London
Going nowhere: Victoria Station is at a standstill as major travel disruptions take place in London this morning
Uprooted: A tree torn from the ground after the night's storms in Windsor, Berkshire. Right, travel chaos at Richmond Station this morning
More than 40 railway line blockages caused by falling trees have been cleared, but more are expected to be found, Network Rail's managing director of operations, Robin Gisby, has said.
Several hundred Network Rail (NR) staff worked through the night to deal with disruption caused by the severe weather.
Special trains have been used to clear tracks, and Mr Gisby said: 'In four cases the train being sent through to inspect the line has hit a fallen tree and we have one train in Devon which is currently disabled following a collision with a fallen tree. We are also dealing with a landslip in the New Forest area.'
Transport for London (TfL) said there was disruption to six Underground lines due to debris from the storm on the tracks.
The Bakerloo, Central, Jubilee, Metropolitan, Northern and Piccadilly lines were all partially closed while workers removed fallen trees and other obstructions, a TfL spokesman said.
North west London, where more of the Tube lines are uncovered, was the area most heavily affected by disruptions.
A teenage boy is also feared dead after being swept out to sea in Newhaven, East Sussex yesterday afternoon. Rescuers will resume their search today
Overground services were also disrupted, with services not likely to get under way until 9am as TfL scrambled to clear trees from the lines in the north of the capital.
Even Downing Street has been hit by the storm with a crane currently on a roof above it crashing down on the the Cabinet Office roof, leading to Whitehall below being condoned off.
Cabinet Office spokesperson :'A crane at the back of the Cabinet Office has been dislodged by the storm, and is currently resting on the roof. We are assessing the damage, and some areas of the building will be evacuated while we do so. Many staff can log on and work flexibly from the Treasury building, or from other locations – and we are exploring other temporary options.
'We are working hard to ensure the safety of our staff and minimum disruption to operations.'
Devon and Cornwall Police responded to more than 200 storm-related incidences overnight.
The London Ambulance Service said it has been responding to a number of storm-related incidents since 6am this morning.
Deputy Director of Operations Peter McKenna said: ‘It is proving to be a busy morning for us for storm-related injuries. We would encourage anyone to consider if their journey is entirely necessary.
‘Remember a storm of this severity has the potential to uproot trees and damage buildings so if walking, take great care and look out for flying debris.’
Their paramedics were called out when a tree fell onto a van in West London, where a man in his 50s injured his back and nexk before being rushed to St Mary’s Hospital.
A 26-year-old man was hit by part of a falling tree near Clapton Common in east London at 6.50am, and also hurt his back and neck while a 29-year-old man was hit by a tree and treated for head, chest and foot injuries before being taken to Ealing Hospital.
CANCELLATIONS, DELAYS AND DISRUPTION: TRANSPORT UPDATE FOR BRITAIN'S MONDAY MORNING COMMUTE
Cancelled: The scene at Victoria station this morning, where most services were not running
TRAINS
- First Capital Connect: No services until further notice; trains are not expected to run at all today
- Virgin Trains: All trains in and out of Euston cancelled due to a tree on the line; tickets for today will be valid tomorrow
- Southeastern: High-speed services are running, but all others are cancelled until further notice
- Southern: No trains until further notice
- Greater Anglia and Stansted Express: No services until at least midday
- c2c (Essex): No services until at least midday
- First Great Western: Multiple delays and cancellations
- Southern and Gatwick Express: No services until at least 10am
- South West Trains: No services until at least 10am
- London Overground: No services until further notice
- East Midlands: No services between Nottingham and Norwich until at least 11am
- Chiltern: No services until further notice
- Greater Anglia: No services until at least 10am
- East Coast: Extreme weather contingency timetable
- Eurostar: Services running with delays
ROADS
- M25: Queen Elizabeth II bridge (Dartford Crossing from Essex to Kent) closed early morning, and flooding at junction 11 (Surrey)
- M48 suspension bridge (Severn crossing) closed
- M4: Second Severn crossing closed from 3am
- Cornwall: Heavy flooding on A388 at Hatt and trees fallen on A374 at Sheviock and on A390 near Lostwithiel
- Kent: Sheppey crossing which carries A249 closed
- Sussex: Flooding and a broken down car on the A267 in Hand
AIRPORTS
- London Heathrow Airport: 130 flights cancelled from 6am to 10.30pm
- Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and Bristol airports: No cancellations yet
- Trains: None to Gatwick, Southend, Stansted or Luton before 9am
FERRIES
- Hovertravel between Ryde and Southsea: All cancelled
- My Ferry Link, P&O Ferries and DFDS Seaways between Dover and Calais: Disruption
- DFDS Seaways between Dover and Dunkerque: Disruption
- Condor Ferries between Poole/Weymouth and Guernsey/Jersey: All cancelled
Slick: A cyclist battles through deep wate after the storm caused flooding on many roads in Cardiff
Fury: The sea crashes against the harbour wall in Brighton this morning
Landfall: Such was the ferocity of the sea a boat broke its moorings and was washed up on the beach
Brutal: Normally a dozen or so members swim around the pier, but the churning sea was far too dangerous earlier
A fallen tree branch blocking the road in St John's Wood, North London after strong winds swept the capital causing damage and travel disruptions
Dark and dangerous morning: Storm clouds gather around Canary Wharf in London this morning as high winds batter much of southern England today
Deluge: Motorists struggle through a submerged road in Cardiff, South Wales this morning. Flash floods were also reported in Cornwall, Dorset, Hampshire and Sussex
Millions of commuters are warned ‘not to travel unless necessary’ because of fallen branches, floods and high winds
Risk: The Emirates Air Line, a cable car link over the Thames, was grounded by the high winds in London this morning
The Air Line Twitter feed stated: 'There is currently no service on the line due to high winds'
Bleak: The usually busy M48 Severn Bridge crossing near Bristol is closed due to strong winds from the storm
A man was pulled from the water at a Welsh port by a lifeboat crew after his cries for help were heard early yesterday(MON).
He had been clinging on to a rope dangling over the quayside at Holyhead, Anglesey.
The town's inshore lifeboat and coastguards went to his aid after a member of the RNLI, who lives nearby, heard shouts for help at 4.26am. It was windy and raining at the time.
A coastguard spokesman said : "There is no indication as to how he got into the water and what he was doing in the secure port area."
The man was handed over to paramedics and taken to hospital at Bangor. His condition isn't known.
THE SAINT OF LOST CAUSES
The storm was named after St Jude, the Roman Catholic patron saint of lost causes, whose feast day is today.
Also known as Thaddeus, he was born into a Jewish family in Palestine and is believed to be a blood relative of Jesus.
He was one of 12 apostles chosen to spread the gospel and he is believed to have brought Christianity to Armenia.
Details of his life are scarce. But he became associated with lost causes because of a letter he wrote to the persecuted churches of the East in about 60AD.
In it, he is believed to have stressed the importance of persisting in difficult circumstances, as their forefathers had done before them. But around five years later he was hacked to death in Armenia.
He is often pictured with an axe, symbolising the way he was killed. His body was later taken to St Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
There are also widespread reports of local roads in Cornwall, Dorset, Hampshire and Sussex blocked or closed due to fallen trees and flash flooding.
Cornwall Council reported heavy flooding on the A388 at Hatt, and trees fallen on a number of A-roads, including the A374 at Sheviock and on the A390 near Lostwithiel. Street lamps were also blown out in Saltash.
In Newquay 100 properties were left without power for part of the night, and emergency services were called out to almost 40 incidents.
Sharon Taylor, assistant chief constable for Devon and Cornwall Police, told the BBC: 'So far we have had 122 weather-related incidents, that includes 19 reported areas with localised flooding.
'We have put out over 100 extra police officers, including over 50 special constables. I am pleased to say that the majority of incidents are those reported by our own staff and other agencies out on the road, so it does seem that the public have taken to heart the advice we have been giving out over the weekend.
'We have got a significant number of flood warnings in place and certainly at least 19 areas where we have got localised flooding at the moment.'
She added that police were considering evacuating up to 30 properties at Axminster because of flooding, rather than wind damage.
Ms Taylor said volunteers in 4x4 vehicles were poised to get out around the two counties to help with flood and wind damage.
A police car was damaged by a falling tree on the B2104 in Sussex, officers said, while a car also hit a fallen tree in Langney Rise, Eastbourne. The driver was uninjured, police said.
Chris Burton, a forecaster with MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: 'The storm is currently over the south Midlands, but it is moving in a large swathe across the country.
'The strongest winds are around Dorset, Somerset and the Hampshire areas, and they are going to spread north and east in the next few hours.
'The highest winds have hit 99mph in exposed areas on the Isle of Wight. Elsewhere it has reached 80mph in Portland in Dorset and 75mph at Yeovilton in Somerset, but gusts are widely reaching 50mph.
'Over the next few hours we will be expecting gusts of 60mph in central, south-eastern areas and East Anglia, with the potential of winds reaching 80mph, possibly higher, on the south coast.
'But by mid-morning it should have eased off quite quickly and moved over the North Sea, and winds will die down by about 10am.'
Write-off: A fallen tree completely wrecked this Volkswagen Polo vehicle in Archway, north London, ahead of the severe storm approaching Britain
Rough seas at Porthleven, in Cornwall, batter the coastline last night ahead of the 'worst storm in decades'
Coming in: As the big storm approaches, aircraft battle the wind and crab sideways to land at Leeds Bradford Airport in West Yorkshire yesterday
Uprooted: A fallen tree is pictured in Northfleet, Kent, yesterday as Britain braced for a severe storm this morning
Capturing the moment: Photographers take a risk to get good shots of the storm waves at Porthcawl in Bridgend, South Wales
Waves: A search was launched for a 14-year-old boy who was swept out to sea while swimming near the shore in Newhaven, East Sussex
Concern: Police said the missing teenager got into difficulty at about 4.15pm while swimming with friends near the shore at West Beach, Newhaven
A spokesman at Heathrow Airport said around 130 flights had been cancelled as a result of the weather.
Original projections stated only half that number would be affected, but this accounted for arrivals and not departures, the spokesman said.
Gatwick, Stansted and Luton airports urged passengers to keep up to date with the status of their flights.
As the drama unfolded last night:
- David Cameron held crisis talks with the Met Office and Environment Agency about how to handle the ‘widespread impact’ of what was predicted to be the worst storm in years;
- Transport minister Susan Kramer urged people to stay at home until the storm had passed;
- Train services in the South were either cancelled or running amended timetables;
- London Overground cancelled all its services until 9am and Eurostar cancelled its services until 7am;
- Both Severn crossings and the Sheppey Crossing were closed as the winds intensified;
- The Environment Agency issued 142 flood alerts and three flood warnings.
Government departments, transport agencies and environmental organisations were on high alert amid fears the storm could leave a trail of destruction in its wake, bringing down trees and power lines and causing localised flooding and power cuts.
Winds of up to 50mph were already being reported in some areas yesterday and were blamed for bringing down a wind turbine in Devon.
No-one was injured when the 90ft-high turbine crashed into a field at Higher Rixdale Farm at Luton, near Teignmouth, on Saturday evening.
In Newhaven, East Sussex, a rescue helicopter was scrambled and lifeboat crews battled terrible conditions to search for a boy of 14 feared drowned while swimming off West Beach.
But the search was called off for the night at around 10.30pm. Coastguards will now treat the operation as ‘search and recovery’ rather than a rescue mission, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said. The coastguard will decide on its next course of action this morning.
One resident reported seeing lads ‘playing chicken’ by the harbour when one of them went in.
Wild: Rough seas pound the sea wall of Brighton Marina yesterday as the south coast braced itself for the storm to hit
Caught without an umbrella: A family runs for cover as torrential rain in Appledore, North Devon, marks the start of the storm feared to be the worst in a decade
A kite surfer enjoys the stormy seas at Fistral Beach, in Newquay, Cornwall, yesterday ahead of the storm
Blocked off: Winds battered the Sussex coastline, bringing down this tree in Brighton
Destroyed: A huge wind turbine fell down in high winds in a field near Teignmouth, Devon
Forecast: The Met Office said the storm would reach maximum ferocity in the early hours of today but move quickly eastwards, with winds falling away by lunchtime
THIS TIME MICHAEL FISH SAYS: DON'T TAKE ANY CHANCES
Michael Fish last night urged people to take ‘two or three hours’ off work today if the storm hits their area.
The forecaster, who infamously reassured viewers that ‘no hurricane’ was coming before the Great Storm of 1987, said workers would be safer if they delayed their commute and went in at lunchtime.
He said the gales would hit many in the South just as they headed out to the office. ‘These strong winds ... are going to be unfortunately at around getting up time and rush-hour time,’ Mr Fish said.
‘So the message we’re trying to convey at the moment is to delay your journey just by two or three hours in the morning and then you should be safe.’
But the former BBC weatherman said it was unlikely St Jude would rival the Great Storm – although he added that storms were ‘fickle’.
In County Durham, police confirmed that a 47-year-old canoeist who capsized after getting into difficulty in the swollen River Tees at Whorlton Lido, near Barnard Castle, on Saturday had died.
In Cambourne, Cornwall, a family of four escaped unhurt after a tree hit their house in the early hours of yesterday.
Commuters face rush-hour chaos this morning as they wake up to the impact of the worst storm in years.
Rail services across most of southern Britain have been cancelled or are running to amended timetables because of fears for passenger safety, debris on railway lines and damage to infrastructure.
Some services are not operating at all until late morning and Network Rail is advising passengers to allow extra time to reach their stations and to catch connecting trains because road conditions are also expected to be hazardous.
On the roads there are warnings of standing flood water across much of the south of the UK, as well as reports of trees coming down across roads.
Both Severn crossings, the M4 and the M48, have been closed because of high winds, as has the southbound lane of the Queen Elizabeth II bridge on the M25, part of the Dartford River Crossing between Essex and Kent.
About 60 flights have also been cancelled at London's Heathrow Airport today due to the storm.
Among the rail operators, First Capital Connect said it was not expecting to run a service until 9am, and then to an amended schedule, while Southeastern will run an amended timetable with the possibility of services not starting until 9am or 10am.
Greater Anglia and Stansted Express services will not run until after 9am, and then with a reduced service and significant disruption expected, while East Coast will operate an amended timetable, with the first train leaving London's Kings Cross at 7.35am and the first arriving there at 8.56am.
Operator c2c will run an amended service, with no trains until at least 9am, First Great Western will have an amended timetable until 10am, with just one train an hour on services between London Paddington and Swansea and Bristol Temple Meads, while Southern and Gatwick Express services will not run before 9am, and only with amended services after that.
South West Trains said it expected to run an amended timetable, with no trains before 8am, and was only running trains at a maximum of 50mph because of high winds. Transport for London said there will be no service on the Overground line until 9am.
West Coast main line operator Virgin Trains said an amended service may run before 9am on Monday when there will be speed restrictions between Birmingham and Rugby and between Rugby and Euston station in London Euston. The company added that journey times may be extended by up to 70 minutes.
Chiltern Railways tweeted that speed restrictions have been removed from its lines, and that it plans to run 'as near to normal service as possible'.
Eurostar announced it would be unable to run any cross-Channel rail services until 7am to allow the high-speed train lines to be inspected.
Eurostar announced it would be unable to run any cross-Channel rail services until 7am to allow the high-speed train lines to be inspected.
The 5.40am and 6.50am services from London will set off at least one-hour late and will be subject to 50mph speed restrictions.
All other services up to noon will be subject to about 20-minute delays.
All other services up to noon will be subject to about 20-minute delays.
Clouds gather over Portishead on the banks of the Severn Estuary near Bristol. An amber weather warning has been issued across large parts of the UK
Worrying: Sarah Crouch stands with her baby Frederic, aged 11 weeks, near her home just yards from the fallen tree in Northfleet, Kent
People gather to watch the rough seas in Cornwall yesterday morning. Winds are expected to leave a trail of destruction
Waves crash near Brighton Pier in East Sussex, as England and Wales face a battering from the worst storm in a decade
Daring: Surfers make the most of huge waves in Newquay, Cornwall, yesterday before the storm hits
Bad hair day: A girl's long hair gets swept up in the wind as she walks along Brighton Beach yesterday afternoon
High tide: Waves as high as 25ft crashed against the shoreline along Fistral Beach in Newquay, Cornwall
The Prime Minister held an emergency meeting yesterday morning with ministers and agencies to co-ordinate plans to protect public from the storm
Forecast: These Met Office graphics show the yellow and amber weather warnings for today (left) and the timing of the strongest winds (right)
LNetwork Rail's managing director of network operations Robin Gisby said: 'Passengers will, I hope, understand that their safety and the safety of our workforce has to be the rail industry's number one priority during such severe weather.
'We will be monitoring conditions on the ground throughout the night and into the morning, but we simply cannot allow trains to run until the storm has passed and we have been able to make sure that the railway is safe and free of obstructions.'
Rail users were strongly advised to check operators' websites for the latest advice and information or visit www.nationalrail.co.uk.
On the roads, while the Dartford River Crossing is closed the tunnel part of the crossing is expected to remain open and will operate in contraflow (one tunnel running in each direction) to allow traffic to still get across the Thames.
While both Severn crossings are closed diversions will be in place via the A449, A40, M50 and M5.
Those travelling from West Wales can use the A465 to join the diversionary route.
A previously-planned overnight closure of the M50 for roadworks has been cancelled to allow for the diversion.
Highways Agency crisis management co-ordinator Martin Hobbs said: 'We are working closely with the Met Office to monitor conditions, plan according to the forecast and respond to severe weather.
'Drivers are encouraged to think carefully before setting off as driving conditions are expected to be difficult.
'If you do have to make a journey by road be prepared, plan your journey in advance and check the latest weather and traffic conditions along your route.'
Slippery: A child plays on Brighton beach in stormy conditions. Millions of people have been told to brace themselves for what is predicted to be a severe storm
Getting wet: West Bay in Dorset, just miles from where a photographer is feared to have been swept out to sea at Lyme Regis
Adventurous: Surfers have fun in the sea off Newquay in Cornwall despite the severe warnings which were announced yesterday by the Met Office
Dramatic: People gather to watch the stormy waves off Fistral Beach in Newquay in Cornwall
At Heathrow Airport, a spokesman said cancellations were made to give passengers advanced information about their flights ahead of the expected disruption.
About 30 flights will be cancelled from 6-11am, 20 from 11am-4pm and 10 from 4-10.30pm, a combination of arrivals and departures.
Gatwick, Stansted and Luton airports urged passengers to keep up to date with the status of their flights.
A Bristol Airport spokesman said the airport was open, but advised passengers to check with airlines.
On the ferry services, a spokesman for the Port of Dover said conditions in the English Channel were 'rough", with 'force 10' winds.
The ferry terminal is open, but is operating with delays.
The spokesman said: 'MyFerryLink have cancelled their 7am sailing this morning. Due to adverse weather conditions in the Channel some sailings are experiencing delays. Passengers are advised to contact their shipping operator for further information and updates.'
People stop to look at the stormy seas off Fistral Beach in Newquay, Cornwall. Millions of people in parts of the UK have been told to brace themselves for what is predicted to be one of the worst storms for years
The storm in coming: Two men watch as as huge waves crash against a sea wall in Aberystwyth, Wales, yesterday afternoon
A man takes photographs of breaking waves at Porthleven Harbour in Cornwall ahead of the storm called St Jude
Choppy: Waves crash into Brighton beach as the storm begins to form out at sea
Fierce waves: A man walks his dog along the beach as waves hit the seafront in Brighton yesterday morning. Britain is bracing itself for the worst storm of the decade
The calm before the storm: Seas become increasingly rough and skies darken over Clevedon near Bristol yesterday morning as the west country prepares itself for a battering by a storm which forecasters believe could be the worst in years
Brace yourselves: Waves crash against the marina walls in Brighton yesterday morning. Britain is being hit by 90mph winds and heavy rain
People watch rough seas in the harbour at Porthleven, Cornwall, as England and Wales face a battering from the worst storm in five years, forecasters warn
Friends gather at Porthleven, in Cornwall, to watch the waves break against the walls protecting the harbour against the waves
Rather you than me: A sailor braves strong winds in the Bristol Channel near Cardiff in south Wales yesterday morning despite choppy conditions
A helicopter was called out to search for a photographer feared to have been swept out to sea when he was taking photographs on a Cobb wall in Lyme Regis in Dorset
Stormy: A kite-surfer makes the most of the stormy conditions in Newquay, Cornwall, as meteorologists warn of fierce winds of up to 80mph and torrential rain hitting the UK
Too close for comfort: A man looks at a huge wave as it breaks inside the harbour at Porthleven, Cornwall
Waves pound against Brighton Beach's sea defences yesterday morning as the UK prepares for one of the worst storms in a decade
Braving the elements: A father holds his children's hands along the Sussex coast and the wild waves crash onto the shoreline
Dramatic waves smash into the pier at Porthleven, Cornwall, as the UK prepares for the worse storm in years. An amber weather warning has been issued
Huge waves could lash parts of the South Coast, more than two inches of rain could cause surface flooding
Insurance companies have advised householders to take steps to protect themselves and their property.
These include establishing an evacuation plan, ensuring gutters are clear and placing valuables upstairs to limit flood damage.
The Met Office added that the expected storm was ‘not one you would see every year’, and could be compared to those that took place in March 2008, January 2007 and October 2000.
Forecasters said they could not rule out declaring a ‘red alert’, meaning there was ‘a high risk of serious disruption’, and warned that the chaos could coincide with tomorrow’s morning rush-hour.
The Great Storm of 1987: Claimed 18 lives, flattened 15 million trees and caused damage costing £1.5billion
The Great Storm which battered England and Wales in 1987 was the worst storm to hit south-east Britain in over 300 years.
In the early hours of October 16 winds peaked at more than 120mph, killing 18 people, damaging buildings and felling 15 million trees in the south east of England.
Millions of homes were left without power for at least a few hours, with some having no electricity for days as trees fell on power lines, disrupting supplies.
Damage: An uprooted tree lies across a car in London after the Great Storm on October 15, 1987, which claimed 18 lives
Powerful: The highest gust recorded from the storm was at Gorleston, Norfolk, hitting 122mph
The damage caused cost £1.5billion.
Whilst most of England and Wales experienced wet and windy weather that night, it was southern and eastern parts of England that were worst hit.
The highest gust recorded from the storm was at Gorleston, Norfolk, hitting 122mph.
A ship capsized at Dover, and a Channel ferry was driven ashore near Folkestone.
Veteran weatherman Michael Fish bore the brunt for famously telling the nation there was no hurricane in the offing, just hours before it arrived.
At the time Mr Fish told viewers tuning into the broadcast: ‘Earlier on today, apparently, a woman rang the BBC and said she heard there was a hurricane on the way; well, if you’re watching, don’t worry, there isn’t, but having said that, actually, the weather will become very windy, but most of the strong winds, incidentally, will be down over Spain and across into France.’
But in 2011, one of his former colleagues finally stepped forward to take the blame for the Met Office’s botched forecast.
Bill Giles, who was chief forecaster at the time, admitted that he was in fact responsible for the lunchtime broadcast on October 15 in 1987.
It was the worst storm since 1703 and a public enquiry was announced shortly after the storm and an internal enquiry was conducted by the Met Office.
The Met Office writes: 'We now know that the strength of the storm was boosted by a phenomenon known as the ‘Sting Jet’, where cold dry air descends into storms high in the atmosphere.
'Rain or snow falling into this jet of air evaporates and cools the air further, adding more energy which translates into stronger winds. By the time this ‘sting in the tail’ reaches the ground it can produce winds of 100mph which are concentrated over a small area.
'In 1987, no-one knew sting jets even existed, but now they are well understood and included in forecast models. The storm which affected Scotland in December 2011 was boosted by a sting jet, explaining the maximum gust speed of 164mph recorded on top of Cairngorm.'
Business as usual: A Routemaster driving through the streets of London after the strong winds
Power: A Sealink ferry was forced onto dry land by the extreme winds
Britain is set to be hit by the worst weather since the Great Storm of 1987 when this tree crashed over in Eynsford, KentWATCH: BBC man's historic gaffe and news from '87's deadly storm
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