Storm Jocelyn expected to bring widespread disruption as warning for wind in place
Storm Jocelyn is expected to bring widespread disruption to the roads and rail services as a yellow warning for wind remains in place.
The named storm is quick on the heels of Storm Isha that caused flooding and damage to buildings and cars following gusts of up to 84mph in the region.
The weather warning is in place until 1pm on Wednesday with the wind expected to reach up to 70mph.
The Met Office are predicting that some roads and bridges may close, that there may be damage to some buildings, power cuts are a possibility, and road, rail, air and ferry services may be cancelled.
In a statement on their website the Met Office said: "A spell of strengthening west or southwesterly winds is expected to affect Northern Ireland, north Wales, northern England and Scotland from Tuesday evening, associated with Storm Jocelyn.
"Winds are widely expected to gust to 55-65 mph, with a few exposed locations possibly seeing in excess of 70 mph, although the greatest likelihood of these is now highlighted with an Amber warning.
"Gusts of 55-65mph are fairly typical for a winter storm across these areas, but following the impacts caused by Storm Isha resilience is expected to be lower and it may also hamper any ongoing recovery and repair efforts."
What about transport?
There will be widespread disruption to rail services in Cumbria, Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders.
ScotRail announced that there will be no services from 7pm on Tuesday and that there will be no rush hour services on Wednesday morning.
ScotRail say the rail network in Scotland has been significantly damaged by Storm Isha and it is expected that the predicted high winds will cause more damage.
Phil Campbell, ScotRail Customer Operations Director, said: “The heavy wind and ongoing rain hitting most parts of the country mean that it will not be safe for our customers and our staff, and all ScotRail train services will be suspended from 19.00 tomorrow.
“This is the second withdrawal of train services this week, and we know the impact this has on customers, but the safety of staff and passengers will always be our priority.
“Our colleagues at Network Rail Scotland will again be working flat out to carry out safety checks, and assess what repairs are required to reopen the railway.
“However, customers will be unable to travel early on Wednesday morning, as trains will not be able to operate until the infrastructure has been made safe.
“We will update our website, mobile app, and social media feeds when we have more information, and customers should check for the latest updates before they attempt to travel.”
TransPennine Express has issued a "Do Not Travel" warning with heavy rain and strong winds expected to cause disruption to services.
The warning comes into effect from 3pm on Tuesday and will remain in place until midday on Wednesday.
Kathryn O’Brien, Customer Experience and Operations Director for TransPennine Express said: “Our number one priority is to keep our customers and colleagues safe, and we will be doing all we can to keep people moving in difficult conditions.
“We are urging anyone travelling across the affected routes to plan ahead, allow extra time, check their journey up until the last minute, and follow the guidance provided.”
What help is out there?
Electricity North West has announced that they are offering free hot drinks and food for people who are still without power.
These can be found at the following locations:
The Old Bank Tearoom, Market Square, Aspatria CA7 3HB
Soulby Village Hall Kirkby Stephen – CA17 4PL
Plumbland Village Hall School Lane, Wigton CA7 2DQ
Superior Catering at Kirkby Thore Parish Memorial Hall Kirkby Thore CA10 1XN
Cumbria Police has issued advice as the region prepares for Storm Jocelyn.
They state that work is still currently ongoing with 1,800 homes still without power in Cumbria.
Chief Superintendent Carl Patrick, of Cumbria Constabulary, is chairing the Local Resilience Forum response to the weather events of recent days.He said: “The two storms combined – and the preparations leading up to them – have been going on for a number of days now. But we must stress the advice we have been giving out with the aim of keeping people safe is still as relevant now as ever, especially with the arrival of the latest warnings.
“What we would especially emphasise at this time is the need for the public to remember the vulnerable people in their communities. The agencies involved in this are aware of the vulnerable but we would urge anyone who has vulnerable friends, family or neighbours just to take time to check they are OK – and ask if they need anything.
"A friendly enquiry at this stage could help them if they are struggling and would also offer reassurance at a time that can be frightening for some. Please also advise them about the storm and the advice about keeping safe and being careful.
“We would ask people not to travel unless necessary during the storm. On Sunday, during the last storm, the impact on our roads could be clearly felt. At Cumbria Police we had nearly 120 reports of either road traffic collisions, highway disruptions or road-related offences – on an average day in January we get about 42.
"Our highways colleagues at both local councils also received more than 100 reports each as well.
“The weather is forecast to get progressively worse and stronger over the day and people should expect delays at the rush hour – and plan accordingly.
"Our advice would be: if you don’t have to travel, stay at home. If people are driving, please do so with care and always drive to the conditions. Please keep up to date with travel alerts and plan your route accordingly.
“The public can be reassured that our multi-agency response has been running for several days in preparation for this and all agencies continue to work together to protect our communities.
“We would just ask people to follow the advice, stay at home as much as possible and look after the vulnerable in your communities.”
Dumfries and Galloway Council has announced that it has closed both car parks on either side of the Whitesands.
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