The UK has been hit by Storm Noa, which caused travel disruptions, power outages, and a search for a missing person. The storm brought gusts of up to 96 mph, leading to the cancellation of many ferries, trains, and flights.
In Brighton, rescuers searched for a person believed to have been swept out to sea after falling into the water near Palace Pier. The coastguard helicopter, police, and lifeboats were all involved in the search.
The storm also resulted in trees being brought down and power outages in southern England and Wales. South Western Railway warned of disruptions until 10 pm on Wednesday, while Thameslink and Great Western Rail also suffered delays and cancellations. Two sections of the M4 in Wales and the M48 Severn Bridge were closed.
The Met Office’s Tom Morgan warned of heavy showers and thunderstorms across England and Wales, particularly in southeast England and East Anglia. Snow was also reported in the Pennines and the Scottish Highland.
#StormNoa has been named by Meteo France, as France is expected to get stronger winds and greater impacts, resulting in them naming the system.
This has been adopted by the UK Met Office as per international storm naming arrangements. pic.twitter.com/iZV9RiCnmI
— Met Office (@metoffice) April 12, 2023
The Met Office recorded the strongest gust of 96mph at the exposed Needles chalk stacks on the Isle of Wight. London’s Heathrow Airport was also affected, with several planes being unable to land due to the high winds.
P&O reported delays on the Dover-Calais ferry route due to the weather. The Big One rollercoaster in Blackpool was also stopped near its summit due to high winds.
See the video of the storm below courtesy of BBC:
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