Three million people received an emergency alert from the government on Friday (December 6) after forecasters issued a rare red warning for wind as Storm Darragh hits the UK.
The Cabinet Office issued the alert at 6.45pm to people in areas covered by the red warning in parts of Wales and the South West of England.
The Emergency Alert system sent a message to every compatible mobile phone in the impacted areas, containing information about the red warning and guidance on how to stay safe into Saturday (December 7).
It was the largest use of the system outside a test scenario – the last test being in April 2023.
#StormDarragh is approaching the UK as we head into the weekend bringing with it very strong winds, particularly in the west, with gusts of potentially up to 90mph⚠🌬 pic.twitter.com/i3PYLBHRqw
— Met Office (@metoffice) December 6, 2024
It is understood residents in Devon, Bath and North East Somerset, the City of Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Somerset, Isle of Anglesey, Gwynedd, Conwy, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Bridgend, Vale of Glamorgan, Cardiff, Monmouthshire and Newport received the alert.
Mobile phones made a loud siren-like sound even if they were set on silent. The sound and vibration lasted for about 10 seconds.
Red is the most serious weather warning the Met Office can issue, meaning dangerous weather is expected and people are urged to take action to keep themselves and others safe.
The warning – which has led to the cancellation of events including Christmas attractions – is in place from 3am to 11am on Saturday.
What different Met Office weather warnings mean
The Met Office warns of “damaging winds” with gusts of 90mph possible over the coasts and hills of West and South Wales.
Forecasters say the strongest winds will begin to ease from late morning.
A separate amber warning covering a larger stretch of the west coast of the UK, stretching from southern Scotland to Cornwall, and Northern Ireland is in place from 1am until 9pm.
Flying debris and falling trees could pose a risk to life, while large waves and beach material could be thrown on to coastal roads and seafronts.
There could also be damage to buildings and homes, with roofs blown off and power lines brought down, as well as power cuts affecting other services such as mobile phone coverage.
Roads, bridges and railway lines may be closed, with delays and cancellations likely to bus, train and ferry services and flights.
The fourth named storm of the season is also expected to bring heavy rain over the weekend, with more than 100 flood warnings and alerts in place across the UK.
Recommended reading:
- How fast do wind speeds have to be for trains to be cancelled in the UK?
- The 9 things you need to do to protect your home during storms
- Who is responsible for repairing a damaged garden fence after a storm in the UK?
An amber warning for rain is in place in Wales from 3am to 6pm on Saturday with heavy rain likely to lead to disruption to transport and infrastructure.
A yellow warning for rain is in place for Northern Ireland and Wales, which were badly affected by flooding during Storm Bert, as well as parts of Scotland from 3pm on Friday until noon on Saturday.
Periods of heavy rain in South and mid-Wales through Saturday are likely to see 20-30mm fall in three to six hours, with totals of 80-90mm possible by the time it begins to ease in the evening.
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