Storm Bram sparks floods with ‘danger to life’ weather warnings issued as downpours and strong winds batter UK

Heavy rainfall and strong winds are expected to cause disruption across parts of the UK on Tuesday and into Wednesday morning, forecasters have warned.

The River Ouse burst its banks and began to flood parts of York as it overflowed following a period of heavy rainfall.

National Rail has issued updates to passengers this morning, informing them of disruptions caused by the storm.

Network Rail Scotland said some train services in Scotland will be suspended due to the conditions later on Tuesday.

An amber weather warning for "very strong and disruptive winds" has been issued for north-west Scotland as the Met Office said the storm could cause damage to buildings and homes, power cuts and travel disruption on Tuesday night.

Gusts of 70 to 80 mph are expected for a few hours, and some places may experience gusts of up to 90 mph, the Met Office said.

Heavy rain will accompany the strong winds and may exacerbate impacts, it added.

The forecaster said there is a potential for large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties, with flying debris posing a possible "danger to life".

In Ireland, the storm has already resulted in some travel disruption with 42 flights cancelled at Dublin Airport.

People in the area covered by the amber alert for wind - mainly the Highlands and Eilean Siar - should prepare to protect their property and people from injury by checking for loose items outside their home and securing them, the Met Office advised.

Such items could include bins, garden furniture, trampolines, tents, sheds and fences.

Roads, bridges and railway lines in the region may close, with delays and cancellations to bus, train, ferry services and flights, the forecaster added.

The warning starts at 4pm on Tuesday and will end at 11.59pm.

Some homes and businesses are likely to be flooded and potentially damaged, while some communities could be cut off because of flooded roads, the Met Office said.

Fast flowing floodwater is likely in the affected areas, also causing challenging conditions and a danger to life, it warned.

Drivers will face difficult driving conditions as spray and flooding may also lead to road closures.

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The forecaster warned of travel disruption on Tuesday morning and said to prepare to avoid travelling by road.

They further advised people in the areas covered by the amber rain warning to prepare a flood kit, containing insurance and any other important documents, a torch and spare batteries, a first aid kit and prescription medicines.

The kit should also contain supplies for looking after family members or pets, as well as warm and waterproof clothes, blankets, and food and water, the Met Office said.

The amber rain warning also includes parts of South Wales and the south-west of England, mostly covering Dartmoor in Devon.

The forecasters said around 100mm of rain could fall in some locations with 50 to 75mm of rain expected across much of the warning area.

The warning began at 12am and ends at 10am on Tuesday.

More than 30 flood warnings - meaning flooding is expected - are in place for England, along with more than 170 alerts signalling flooding is possible.

Meanwhile the Scottish Environment Protection Agency has issued 20 flood warnings and 12 flood alerts covering much of the country, while Natural Resources Wales has seven flood warnings and 53 alerts in place.

Network Rail has advised passengers in Scotland to plan ahead and check their journeys before travelling on Tuesday.

Transport Scotland said the conditions caused by Storm Bram are likely to cause disruption to road, rail, air and ferry travel.

Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop urged people to "plan ahead" if they need to travel, adding: "The high winds are likely to impact other modes of transport, so if you are planning to travel by train, ferry or air, please check with your operator to see if your service has been affected."

Yellow weather warnings are covering other parts of the UK on Tuesday.

Two other yellow weather warnings for wind have been issued for Scotland, the north-east and north-west England and parts of Wales into Wednesday.

The warning starts from noon on Tuesday for 24 hours covering the Grampians, Highlands and Eilean Siar, the Orkney Islands and Strathclyde regions of Scotland.

The second warning also comes into force at noon and runs until 6am for parts of the Grampians, Denbighshire and Flintshire in Wales and North West and North East England.

Rail services between Fort William and Mallaig will be suspended from 4pm and between Dingwall and Kyle of Lochalsh from 5pm, due to the forecast extreme winds.

Speed restrictions are in place on some other routes.

From Tuesday morning trains have been running at reduced speeds on parts of the West Coast Main Line and routes between Glasgow, Ayrshire, and Dumfries and Galloway due to heavy rainfall.

Network Rail Scotland said that from Tuesday afternoon there will be speed restrictions on the Mallaig Line, Oban Line, and West Highland Line, which will remain in place into Wednesday morning.

From Tuesday evening there will be similar limits on the Far North Line and sections of the Highland Main Line and Aberdeen-Inverness route, continuing until early Wednesday.

Part of the M66 in Greater Manchester has been shut southbound following flooding and a multi-vehicle crash.

National Highways said that as a result of the collision there is "also significant central reservation barrier damage".

"Traffic Officers and area teams are on scene working to clear the flood water," a spokesman said.

"The barrier damage will be assessed and repaired once the flood water has cleared."

The closure is in place between Edenfield (A56) and Walmersley (J1), with those travelling told divert their route or delay their trip.

Meanwhile, the M48 Severn Bridge in South Gloucestershire is now open in both directions between J1 and J2 after being closed due to strong winds associated with Storm Bram.