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Forecasters have warned the ‘worst is yet to come’ as Storm Agnes hurtles towards the UK, bringing with it potentially life-threatening winds and heavy rain.
Agnes has already battered the south coast of Ireland with gale force 70mph winds and lashing rain, with the storm set to hit areas of northern England and Scotland later tonight.
The Met Office issued a string of weather warnings from 12pm as the first named storm of the season makes landfall with 80mph winds and 2.4in (60mm) of rain.
The huge storm has already caused travel chaos with 11 flights axed today between London, Manchester or the Isle of Man and Belfast , Dublin or Cork as planes struggled to land.
First making landfall in south west Ireland, strong winds ripped off the roof of buildings in the coastal town of Youghal, County Cork. While in Dublin a huge tree has been uprooted, blocking one of the city’s roads.
But in a worrying prediction, Met Office meteorologist Marco Petagna said: ‘Some of the worst conditions are still to come. The rain warnings are out to cover through the evening and the wind warnings are into the overnight period…We are looking at high gusts developing.’
Incredible satellite imagery has shown Agnes engulfing Ireland as it charges across the Irish Sea to pummel the rest of the UK.
A stunning satellite image has captured Storm Agnes as it makes its way across Ireland to the UK
The scene in Youghal, County Cork, where a roof has been blown from a building as Storm Agnes hit Ireland
High winds and heavy rain arrived in West Yorkshire today as Storm Agnes made landfall in the UK. Pictured is a plane landing at Leeds Bradford Airport on Wednesday
A fallen tree on Thornleigh Road in Swords, Dublin, as Storm Agnes continues to pummel Ireland
Gusts of up to 65mph were recorded hitting the southern tip of Ireland as the storm rolled over towards the UK (pictured are cars travelling in Youghal, County Cor)
Gusts of 53mph were recorded in the Isles of Scilly on Wednesday and ‘well into the 40mph (zone)’ across parts of Cornwall and parts of Wales, but ‘the winds are picking up’, Mr Petagna said.
He said there is ‘a contrast in the South East as it is escaping all this and has seen some bright weather’.
The alerts include a wind warning until 7am on Thursday stretching across Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, as well as the south-west of England, the West Midlands and most of the north of England.
He added: ‘This evening’s rush hour could be quite tricky in some north and north-western areas of the UK, as it is expected to coincide with expected periods of strong wind and rain.’
There are also rain warnings for much of Scotland through to Thursday at 3am.
Just after midday on Wednesday the Met Office tweeted: ‘Gusts of 65-70 mph have already been recorded in southwest Ireland.
‘Strong winds are expected to affect much of the UK as the storm tracks northeastwards this afternoon.’
The roof of a building in Youghal, Co Cork, was blown off.
Agnes has already caused travel chaos in the air. with British Airways services between Heathrow and Dublin, easyJet planes between Gatwick and Belfast and Aer Lingus routes between Dublin and Manchester cancelled, according to FlightRadar24 tracking website.
Ryanair has warned of ‘significant delays’ to and from Ireland due to Agnes, which comes on top of Gatwick cancellations due to air traffic control staff sickness.
People brave the heavy rain and strong winds in Liverpool this afternoon as Storm Agnes hits
Emergency services remove a fallen tree today near Blackrock in Cork, Republic of Ireland
A van is driven through floodwater in Cork today as Storm Agnes hits the Republic of Ireland
P&O Ferries said all sailings between Liverpool and Dublin had been cancelled, as well as some departures from Larne in Northern Ireland and Cairnryan in Scotland.
Ferries between the Isle of Man and Lancashire were also axed, while Devon boat trips in Torquay, Brixham and Dartmouth were called off. Avanti West Coast and ScotRail were among the train operators warning of possible disruption today.
Meanwhile in Scotland, the National Rail is imposing speed limits in some parts of the country set to be hit hardest by the storm.
A string of Met Office alerts will activate today, with a yellow wind warning from midday today until 7am tomorrow across Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, as well as the South-West of England, the West Midlands and most of northern England.
Forecasters warned the storm could cause power cuts, transport delays and damage to buildings.
Only southern England is set to be spared from Agnes, and it is likely to stay dry in the South-East with temperatures of up to 23C (73F) today.
There are also two yellow rain warnings covering areas of southern and central Scotland from 3pm today until midnight.
A Ryanair spokesman said in a message to passengers on its website: ‘Significant delays to/from Ireland on Wed 27 and Thurs 28 Sept due to Storm Agnes.
‘Affected passengers will be notified and any passengers travelling to/from Ireland on Wed 27 Sept / Thurs 28 Sept should check their Ryanair app for flight updates before travelling to the airport.
‘We regret any inconvenience caused to passengers as a result of this storm which is outside of Ryanair’s control and affects all airlines operating to/from Ireland on Wed 27 Sept and Thurs 28 Sept.’
Meanwhile ScotRail issued a warning about possible train timetable changes if track speed restrictions are brought in.
The rail operator posted on X: ‘Storm Agnes will bring strong winds and heavy rainfall to Scotland (today) and into Thursday with the potential to cause disruption. There may be changes to some of our services if Network Rail introduce train speed limits for safety reasons. Check before you travel.’
Avanti West Coast also warned of disruption, saying: ‘Storm Agnes is on its way. We’ll do everything we can to keep services running, but with heavy rains and high winds expected some journeys may be impacted from this afternoon until tomorrow morning. Please check before you travel.’
Devon County Council said it had brought in extra control centre staff to monitor the road network, while Devon Highways has placed extra teams on standby.
It comes as satellites images from space showed the storm front sweeping over Ireland and much of the UK.
Rough seas at Clontarf boat slipway in Dublin today as Storm Agnes lands in Ireland
Storm Agnes sweeps into the Republic of Ireland today as heavy rain falls over Cork city centre
People brave the heavy rain and strong winds in Liverpool this afternoon as Storm Agnes hits
The latest satellite imagery shows the huge weather front rolling in across Ireland, Wales, England and Scotland
A man walks along Bull Wall in Dublin today as Storm Agnes hits the Republic of Ireland
People walk on the Clontarf promenade in Dublin today as Agnes hits the Republic of Ireland
A man struggles with his umbrella in Dublin city centre this afternoon as Storm Agnes lands
Surfer Seth Morris makes the most of the big waves at Broad Haven in Pembrokeshire today
The RAC issued guidance for drivers and warned against driving on coastal and upland routes for motorists not used to such conditions.
Its spokesman Rod Dennis told MailOnline: ‘The Met Office’s latest forecast suggests drivers will feel some short but sharp effects of Storm Agnes later on Wednesday and into Thursday.
‘Gusty winds are likely to be the biggest feature, so avoiding exposed coastal and upland routes is a good idea for anyone less confident driving in these sorts of conditions.
‘Driving more slowly with both hands on the steering wheel, and taking particular care when overtaking high-sided vehicles to avoid being buffeted, is a must. Anyone towing or carrying loads on the roof should also ensure they’re properly secured before setting out.’
Yesterday the storm underwent ‘explosive cyclogenesis’ – also known as a weather bomb – as it crossed the Atlantic bound for the UK.
The phenomenon can lead to violent winds forming around a weather system, and forecasters said it was expected to ‘rapidly intensify’.
Nick Powell, AA patrol of the year, said: ‘Many places across the UK are likely to see strong winds this week and it’s very likely trees and debris will be littering the roads. Drivers should be very cautious, especially in rural or woody areas.
‘If you see twigs or small branches on the road it could be a sign that a tree has fallen just around the bend, so pay extra attention to the path up ahead.
A person walks along the Clontarf promenade in Dublin this afternoon as Storm Agnes lands
A car is driven through floodwater in Cork today as Storm Agnes hits the Republic of Ireland
People brave the heavy rain and strong winds in Liverpool this afternoon as Storm Agnes hits
Storm Agnes hits West Cork this morning as strong waves crash into the coast at Rosscarbery
A man walks along Bull Wall in Dublin today as Storm Agnes hits the Republic of Ireland
Emergency services remove a fallen tree near Blackrock in Cork, Republic of Ireland today
People brave the heavy rain and strong winds in Liverpool this afternoon as Storm Agnes hits
Strong waves crash into Owenahinchain in West Cork this morning as Storm Agnes hits Ireland
‘As always in windy weather, leave plenty of space behind other vehicles and adjust your speed to suit the conditions, especially when crossing bridges or passing high-sided vehicles. Those on two wheels are especially vulnerable to strong winds, so you should pass these with care.
‘There may be delays so make sure you bring essentials with you on your journey, even if it is only short, such as warm layers, food and drink and a fully charged mobile phone.’
Storm Agnes, which was described as ‘intensifying quickly’ in the Atlantic last night, is expected to generate winds of up to 80mph and cause dangerous conditions along coastlines, especially Irish Sea coastlines. Its main impact will be strong winds and large waves.
Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said: ‘We are likely to potentially see some damaging winds, the possibility of some brief power interruptions, particularly in Irish sea coastal areas.
‘So Northern Ireland, North-West England, West Wales, and South-West Scotland, that’s where we’ll probably see gusts of up to 75mph this afternoon, this evening, that’s when the peak of the winds will be and then Storm Agnes will move across Scotland clearing away from Shetland through Thursday morning.’
He added: ‘In addition to the winds, there’s going to be some large waves as well, so some big stormy seas, and therefore there might well be some coastal flooding where the waves break on to promenades and on to coastal roads.’
The Met Office said a ‘wide swathe’ of the country could be affected by winds gusting at 50 to 60mph.
But forecasters added: ‘Some Irish Sea coasts could see gusts of 65 to 75mph, with a small chance of 80mph gusts on the most exposed coasts and headlands.’
The gales are set to be accompanied by cloud and spells of heavy rain.
Met Office chief meteorologist Steve Ramsdale said: ‘As well as some very strong winds for many, Storm Agnes will also bring some heavy rain, with the highest totals more likely in Scotland, northern England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
‘Around 60mm (2.4in) of rain is possible in a few places over high ground in Scotland.’
The storm is likely to cause ‘dangerous conditions’ on the coasts around the UK and Ireland, according to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).
They advised staying a ‘safe distance’ away from the water and cliff edges to avoid being knocked over or washed into the sea.
Lifeboat charity the RNLI is urging people to stay away from cliff edges and rough seas as Storm Agnes batters the UK.
Sam Hughes, RNLI water safety partner added: ‘It is not worth risking your life.
‘If you see someone else in danger in the water, call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard. If you have something that floats that they can hold on to, throw it to them. Don’t go in the water yourself – you may end up in difficulty too.’
HM Coastguard issued a similar warning, expressing concern that ‘people may underestimate the power of the sea, to their ultimate cost’.
Disruption to ferry services across the Irish Sea, bridge closures, power cuts and ‘small amounts’ of damage to buildings are also expected.
Agnes will be ‘more widespread’ than the last named storm to hit the UK, Storm Betty, but it will not produce ‘significant widespread and long-lasting travel disruption’, it is understood.
Met Office meteorologist Dan Stroud added: ‘A very windy spell of weather is on the cards. It’s going to make for quite a difficult rush hour.
‘What is probably going to be most noticeable is that when people set off in the morning it is going to feel quite benign.
‘But it’s going to deteriorate during the day so by the time people are driving home the storm will be here. The winds will pick up from mid-morning onwards.’
A Transport Scotland spokesman said: ‘Storm Agnes is the first storm of the year and it’s expected to bring some disruption to the transport network, so we’d ask people who are looking to travel to plan their journeys ahead of time.’
A car is driven through floodwater in Cork today as Storm Agnes hits the Republic of Ireland
People brave the heavy rain and strong winds in Liverpool this afternoon as Storm Agnes hits
Emergency services remove a fallen tree near Blackrock in Cork, Republic of Ireland today
People brave the heavy rain and strong winds in Liverpool this afternoon as Storm Agnes hits
A misty start to the day in the Oxfordshire countryside at Dunsden this morning
Storm clouds brew above a boat at Heacham in Norfolk yesterday before Agnes sweeps in
Tomorrow, most parts of the UK will be poised for a ‘much calmer’ forecast and further spells of wet and breezy weather should peter out by the end of the week for a drier weekend.
The stormy forecast comes just over three weeks since Britain was enjoying a record-breaking September heatwave, with temperatures exceeding 30C (86F) for seven days in a row.
It included the UK’s hottest day of the year, when 32.6C (90.7F) was recorded in Wisley, Surrey, on September 7.
The Met Office records storms over a 12-month period from each September.
During the last year there were four named storms – Otto in February, Noa in April, plus Antoni and Betty – both during August – but there were none during last autumn or early part of the winter.
Storm Noa was the ‘most significant April storm’ since 2013, with the highest gusts of 96mph recorded at the Needles Old Battery, Isle of Wight, setting a new record for the month in England. The three other storms brought spells of wind and heavy rain.
