Heavy rain and strong winds could disrupt travel across Ireland and Britain

LONDON - Britain and Ireland have issued some of their strongest weather warnings as forecasters urged residents to brace for powerful winds and heavy rain from a storm that is expected to lash both countries from Dec 9 through Dec 10.

The effects of the storm, named Storm Bram by Met Eireann, the Irish weather service, are likely to be intensified because the last week has already brought persistent rainfall, said Mr Matthew Martin, a meteorologist at Met Eireann.

“Flooding impacts are expected as the rain will fall on already saturated ground and many rivers are currently approaching bank full conditions,” he said, referring to a situation in which rivers are at the tops of their banks and close to overflowing. “We are in a period of high astronomical tides, which will coincide with the strong, potentially onshore winds, so coastal flooding is likely.”

Met Eireann issued orange wind warnings – Level 2 in a three-tier system – from 7am to 6pm on Dec 9 for western and southern counties, from Donegal to Wexford, warning of very strong to gale-force winds, especially along the coasts. The rest of Ireland and Northern Ireland were placed under status yellow rain warnings – Level 1 of 3 – from 9am to midnight on Dec 9.

Forecasters had said the first effects of Storm Bram were expected to be felt as early as Dec 8, with a spell of heavy rain before very strong winds develop as the storm deepens rapidly into Dec 9.

Across the Irish Sea, Britain’s Met Office issued its own yellow warnings – Level 1 of 3 – for wind and rain starting on Dec 8 across much of Wales and southwest England, where flooding and travel disruptions were expected into Dec 9.

As the storm moves northward along the western side of Britain on Dec 9, more widespread rain and strong winds are forecast, with the most severe winds in northwest Scotland. An amber wind warning – Level 2 of 3 – was issued there from 4pm to 11.59pm on Dec 9, where wind gusts could reach 144kmh. Heavy rain will accompany the winds, which forecasters said may worsen the storm’s effects, including transportation delays and cancellations and potential damage to buildings.

Mr Dan Suri, a chief forecaster at the Met Office, said the strong winds were not the only concern across Britain. He warned of the possibility of 100mm of rain in the south of Wales and parts of Devon, in southwestern England.

Amber rain warnings were issued for parts of southwest England, including Cornwall and Devon, and for areas of south Wales, including Swansea and Bridgend, from midnight on Dec 8 through 10am on Dec 9, where between 50-75mm was expected and up to 100mm in some places – more than half the average rainfall for December. The Met Office said most of the heavy rain was expected to fall within a nine-hour window.

The Environment Agency, which assesses flood risks in Britain, issued flood warnings and alerts on Dec 8, warning that river levels were high following recent heavy rain and were likely to remain elevated through much of the week, especially with the further rainfall forecast through Dec 10.

Storm Bram is expected to gradually move northward, away from Britain on Dec 10. In its wake, the Met Office said, conditions will remain windy, particularly in Scotland, on Dec 10, with showers in the west and more persistent rain in the far north. BLOOMBERG