UK given brief respite from winds

04/01/12

By Adele Forrest

Gale force winds that battered many regions and left two men dead have eased off across the country on Wednesday, but are expected to return later in the day, experts predict.

Many people were faced with chaos across travel routes and networks as they returned to work after the Christmas break, as gusts of over 100mph hit the UK.

Twenty flood warnings were also issued by the Environment Agency across the country on Tuesday, with 13 in the South West, three each in the Midlands and the North East, and one in Wales, along with 66 less severe flood alerts.

Billy Payne, a forecaster with MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: "There's going to be a brief respite on Wednesday morning, but winds will pick up later in the day.

"There will be maximum gusts of 75mph, mainly in exposed parts of western Scotland. But even across northern England and eastern and central parts of Scotland we're looking at gusts of 65mph to 75mph in exposed places."

On Wednesday the Met Office issued "yellow" rain warnings for the majority of Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales, north-west England and Yorkshire and Humber.