Storm Conall brings train cancellations and warning of possible power cuts
The third storm of the fall season, named Conall, has caused additional upheaval in the UK. On Wednesday, train services were canceled in some areas of southern England, and the Met Office has issued warnings about possible road delays and the risk of power outages.
Some areas in the south and southeast of England saw up to 40mm of rain overnight, with an additional 5-8mm anticipated throughout the day. The Met Office has released a severe weather alert for London and regions in Essex, Kent, Surrey, and West Sussex.
Although the Met Office chose not to assign a name to the storm, its partner organization, the Dutch weather service KNMI, did name it Conall, as the storm was predicted to deliver powerful winds to the Netherlands.
On Wednesday morning, train services between Ascot in Berkshire and Aldershot in Hampshire were completely halted, and a section of railway on the Isle of Wight was obstructed. Additionally, there were delays affecting the Thameslink, Gatwick Express, and Southern train services.
Further west, the effects of last weekend's storm, Bert, caused disruptions to train services between Hereford and Newport in South Wales, as well as throughout the Valleys in South Wales.
Lynn Bridgeman, a resident of a caravan park in Taunton, Somerset, described her ordeal on Sunday morning as “completely frightening” when fierce winds caused her awning to fall down.
She recounted, “At three in the morning, my caravan tilted onto one wheel, and it was the scariest moment of my life. I was convinced it was going to flip over. I actually screamed out loud.”
"When I woke up in the morning, I found myself unable to exit the caravan because the awning had collapsed, and the pole was jammed against the door."
She mentioned that her neighbors had to remove the remaining pieces of the awning to help her get out of the camper.
In the early hours of Monday, Becky Lyons’s business in Chippenham, Wiltshire, suffered significant flooding, causing damage to both equipment and inventory.
The 39-year-old proprietor of the Pawesome Pet Shop reported that the water level reached 2 feet, which kept her from entering her store until 2 p.m., when it had receded to 1 foot.
She explained, "Mud and sediment were everywhere. The water rose just enough to soak everything on our lower shelves and fill our freezer with raw food."
Nearly 100 flood alerts continued to be active across England and Wales, with a significant warning indicating potential life-threatening conditions issued for the River Nene near the Billing Aquadrome in Northamptonshire.
The Environment Agency has warned that conditions on the Nene are still dangerous. They stated, “There is a risk to life. Please prioritize your safety and that of your loved ones. Intense flooding is anticipated to persist, so it’s important to remain away from the affected area.”
Storm Bert caused flooding for over 500 homes and businesses in England and Wales, transforming roads into waterways and bringing gusts of wind exceeding 80mph.
By early Wednesday afternoon, Conall had mostly left the UK. From 10 PM on Tuesday to noon on Wednesday, rainfall measurements included 43.3 mm in Calbourne on the Isle of Wight, 37.4 mm in Warnford, Hampshire, and 37.1 mm in Harbertonford, Devon.
A representative from the Met Office explained, “This weather system is expected to have a greater effect on the Netherlands. We didn’t give it a name since it will mostly just brush past us and bring some rain.”
On Thursday, the frost and fog will gradually lift from many places, resulting in a dry and cool day with some sunshine. However, it’s expected to turn cloudier and windier in the west, with a few light rain showers.
