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Storm Arwen: Man killed by falling tree as Met Office issues first red wind warning in five years

Blizzard conditions on the A9, about 15 miles south of Inverness, as Storm Arwen batters the north of Scotland. - Peter Jolly/Northpix
Blizzard conditions on the A9, about 15 miles south of Inverness, as Storm Arwen batters the north of Scotland. - Peter Jolly/Northpix

A man has died after his car was hit by a falling tree as Storm Arwen swept in on Friday.

Trains to Scotland were cancelled and people told to stay off the roads as the severe weather prompted the Met Office to issue its first red wind warning in five years.

Roads and rail lines were closed and people were advised to stay at home as the east coast of Scotland and northern England braced for 90mph winds and 10-metre waves on Friday night.

Forecasters said residents should make sure they had enough petrol in their cars, keep their phones charged and stock up on basic supplies for the weekend.

The red warning, which applies overnight on Friday into the early hours of Saturday, is the most serious used by the weather service and has been issued for wind only six times in the last decade.

Forecasters said there was a danger from large waves and urged people to avoid going to seafronts and making unnecessary journeys. In Scotland, there were warnings of "blizzard conditions" and a danger of cars and passengers becoming stranded.

The man who died was travelling in his car in Antrim, Northern Ireland, when it was hit by a falling tree.

High seas at Seaburn, Sunderland, on Friday morning - Simon Woodley/Animal News Agency
High seas at Seaburn, Sunderland, on Friday morning - Simon Woodley/Animal News Agency
A windsurfer in Porthcawl, Wales. The area has an amber warning for wind on Friday and Saturday - Dimitris Legakis/Athena Picture Agency
A windsurfer in Porthcawl, Wales. The area has an amber warning for wind on Friday and Saturday - Dimitris Legakis/Athena Picture Agency

Residents were also told to prepare for power cuts, with parts of Durham and Newcastle experiencing temporary blackouts on Friday afternoon. Police and train operators told people not to travel, while in north-east England the A1 closed to all vehicles north of Berwick-upon-Tweed.

Supt Simon Bradshaw, of Police Scotland's road policing unit, said: "The high winds being experienced along the coastal areas of the north, east and southern parts of Scotland have led to red weather warnings coming into effect and as such, any motorist within these affected regions should not travel under any circumstances."

The East Coast Mainline closed to all trains going in and out of Scotland on Friday evening and Network Rail Scotland also introduced a 50mph speed limit between Dundee and Aberdeen. National Rail said it expected disruption to continue all weekend.

Grahame Madge, a spokesman for the Met Office, said the weather system was unusual because of the way it was affecting the North Sea coast, whipping up "quite exceptional" large waves of between eight and 10 metres with gusts of up to 90mph.

An amber warning for wind was extended to Wales and the South West, where coastal areas are expected to be hit by gusts of up to 70mph and wintry showers.

A combination of snow and high wind was likely to cause widespread disruption, Mr Madge said, calling it a "particularly wild spell of weather".

He added: "This is the first red warning that we've had for the wind in that part of the world for some time, so it warrants paying extra attention. We don't issue a red warning lightly."

People should postpone putting up outdoor Christmas decorations until after the warnings had been withdrawn, he said, adding: "It would be prudent to consider whether they really need to do those jobs now or whether it would be better to delay them."

Several Christmas events were also cancelled or postponed, including Malvern's Christmas Arts Market, Scarborough's "Sparkle" event, at the town's open-air theatre, and Whitby's Christmas Festival.

Friday's episode of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! was also broadcast as a pre-recorded show rather than live due to the severe weather forecast as part of "precautionary measures", ITV said.

In a statement the channel said: "We have contingencies in place to cover all weather scenarios to ensure the safety of our cast and crew."

Storm Arwen is the first named storm in the winter season, which runs from September 2021 through to the end of August 2022.

What to expect from the storm

  • Flying debris is likely and could lead to injuries or danger to life

  • Potential damage to trees, temporary structures and buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs

  • Longer journey times and cancellations likely, as road, rail, air and ferry services may be affected

  • Some roads and bridges likely to close

  • Power cuts may occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage

  • Injuries and danger to life is likely from large waves and beach material being thrown onto coastal roads, sea fronts and properties