Storm Otto: 80mph winds, rain, and flights diverted as extreme weather hits UK
Storm Otto is causing widespread disruption across parts of the UK as recorded winds of 80mph batter parts of Scotland and north-east England on Friday.
A yellow weather warning is in place from South Yorkshire to the whole of Scotland, as Britain's first named storm of the year hits.
The detailed warning for Scotland explains that there could be “injuries and danger to life from flying debris” and “some damage to building, such as tiles blown from roofs”.
Thousands of families are without power as the winds have damaged the electrical supply. In Ripon, Yorkshire, more than 1,300 properties are not expecting to be reconnected until 7pm on Friday.
In Sheffield, a man is in hospital with serious injuries after a tree fell on a street this morning. South Yorkshire Police were called to the scene at 8.50am and the Endcliffe Vale Road was closed.
A bus driver is in hospital after the vehicle careered off the road, into trees amid high winds in Frasenburgh, Aberdeenshire. The driver's condition is currently unknown, police confirmed to STV this morning.
Flights heading into Leeds Bradford Airport are being diverted due to the gales and trains have been cancelled between Leeds and Huddersfield due to a plastic sheet being blown onto the overhead lines.
This comes as the Met Office warned drivers of high-sided vehicles to be careful, with high winds set to cause travel disruption.
In Scotland the gusts blew the roof off Burnside Primary School, Carnoustie, as shown in a tweet from Angus Council. Luckily pupils were not inside, as the school is closed for half term.
TransPennine Express has warned customers to check their route before they travel, adding that trains between Berwick-upon-Tweed and Edinburgh will move at reduced speeds in response to the weather.
The storm will move east across the far north of the UK from the early hours of Friday morning, bringing gusts in excess of 75mph.
The Met Office has said the high winds will mean travel disruption and possible damage to buildings in places and warned the drivers of high-sided vehicles to be careful.
It said there is also a danger of large waves on the North Sea coast “as well as a chance of some damage to buildings and infrastructure”.
The warning for Scotland runs from 3am to 3pm Friday and the north-east England warning is from 5am to 2pm.
Met Office chief meteorologist Andy Page said: “Storm Otto will bring high winds and rain to the UK, with some northern parts of Scotland and the north-east of England likely to get the strongest gusts of wind, possibly in excess of 75mph. Warnings have been issued and could be updated as Storm Otto develops.
“There’s a chance of travel disruption and high-sided vehicles could be particularly prone to disrupted plans in this set-up.
“There’s associated rain with Storm Otto, with 40-50mm of rain likely to fall over parts of western Scotland.”
ScotRail said on Twitter: “With very windy weather on the way, if you live by the railway please secure your garden furniture and items such as trampolines, to avoid them blowing onto tracks and disrupting services.”
Denmark is expected to bear the brunt of the storm on Friday afternoon, leading the Danes to name the system, which has now been adopted by the Met Office in line with the international storm-naming arrangements.
Otto is the first named storm to directly impact the UK this storm-naming season, which began in September.
The first storm named by the Met Office, or the Irish and Dutch weather services this season will still be Storm Antoni, in accordance with the 2022/23 storm name list.
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