The United Kingdom is bracing for the second storm this weekend, as strong winds and heavy rain are expected to cause travel disruption and further power cuts in the north. Storm Boelo, the second named storm of the season, is forecast to bring persistent, heavy rain and gusts that could potentially exceed 80 mph (around 129 km/h) in northern parts of the United Kingdom. Thousands of homes in the south-west of England have already been left without electricity after Storm Austen hit the region on Friday, with 31,000 properties affected at one point and more than 3,700 still without power on Saturday morning.
The Met Office has advised people to stay indoors as much as possible, warning that the storm will pose a risk to life from flying debris and crashing waves. The forecaster has issued an amber alert, the second most severe weather warning, covering Scotland and northern England as far as Carlisle from 9pm on Saturday until the same time on Sunday. A separate amber warning is also in force for north-east Northern Ireland from 9pm on Saturday until 10am on Sunday. A broad yellow warning for very wet and windy weather will cover the whole of northern United Kingdom from midday on Saturday until 9pm on Sunday, while another warning for heavy rain covers Wales and parts of western and southern England from 11am to 11pm on Saturday.
Widespread travel disruption on ferries and trains is expected. TransPennine Express has warned against rail travel, except for essential journeys, on Saturday and Sunday, while Avanti West Coast has strongly advised passengers not to travel north of Preston on Sunday. The Met Office has also warned that power cuts in the south-west of England could recur in the amber alert areas in the north this weekend. Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said wind is the main concern, strengthening towards the evening and making the weather “quite unpleasant”.
Human-caused climate change has continued to reshape rainfall patterns and weather conditions globally. The United Kingdom experienced its hottest summer on record this year. Winds from Storm Boelo are expected to peak from Saturday evening. Andy Burnham, speaking at a summit on record summer wildfires, warned that the United Kingdom could face “even bigger flooding in winter”, while the prime minister denied suggestions that the government was acting late in its civil preparations.
Taken from The Guardian