People have been warned that gale-force winds will cause trees to “act like sails” because of their autumn leaves.
The combination of 60mph winds and the fact that most trees are still in leaf led forecasters to warn that the remains of Hurricane Gonzalo could cause damage as it sweeps over the UK on Tuesday.
Heavy downpours and gales could lead to dangerously slippery roads, poor visibility, cancelled trains and flash flooding during the morning rush hour. The Met Office issued a yellow weather alert for much of the UK, warning travellers to beware of uprooted trees and debris strewn across roads.
Simon Partridge, a Met Office spokesman, said: “These are the first gale-force winds of the season and the trees are still in leaf so there could be a lot of wind-blown debris as well as large amounts of spray on the roads. The morning commute, particularly north of the Midlands, could be trickier than usual. It will be very wet and windy.”
A MeteoGroup forecaster said: “When there are so many leaves on the trees, they can act like sails. There is a much higher incidence of trees coming down.”
Most regions of the UK will see heavy rain but parts of Scotland and the Pennines will experience the wettest conditions, with up to 40mm (1.5in). Most of northern England will see up to 20mm; the south should expect up to 10mm. The worst of the weather is expected to have cleared the UK by midday on Tuesday, leaving sunshine and showers.
The hurricane, 300 miles wide, has already caused widespread damage to Bermuda with its 134mph winds.
0 comments:
Post a Comment