Storm Eunice latest: Thousands without power, travel chaos and Army on standby as second red warning issued

• Red warning for London, South East, Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and parts of Wales

• Severe weather alert for strong winds covering country's strategic road network

• Hurricane-style winds up to 92mph recorded already

• ​Boris Johnson: The Army is on standby

• Storm Eunice: What you should do right now to weather it out

• Rare 'sting jet' similar to one in 1987 Great Storm may hit UK

• In pictures: Carnage across Britain as Eunice sweeps in

Thousands of homes are already without power following the arrival of Storm Eunice in the early hours of Friday, amid travel chaos and rare danger-to-life red weather warnings.

Millions of people have been urged to stay at home for the day and winds are expected to reach 90mph as one of the worst storms in a generation hits the UK.

The highest alert red warning, meaning a high impact is very likely, was issued on Friday morning for London and the South East of England due to the expected combination of high tides, strong winds and storm surge. A second red warning is in place for the coastline of Devon, Cornwall and Somerset as well as the south coast of Wales.

The Met Office has also taken the unusual step of issuing a severe weather alert with National Highways for strong winds covering the whole of the country's strategic road network from 6am to 6pm.

On Friday morning, a Government minister said that the Army is on "high readiness standby" to help and echoed the red weather warning indicating a "risk to life and limb".

This comes amid severe transport disruption across the UK, with British Airways and EasyJet cancelling a number of flights due to "gale force winds" and many rail networks operating a significantly reduced service with emergency 50mph speed limits in place.

Transport networks have warned people to avoid all non-essential travel today, with London Mayor Sadiq Khan echoing this advice by urging people in the capital to "stay at home until the storm has passed".

Follow the latest updates below.

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10:10 AM

92mph winds recorded on the Isle of Wight

Gusts of up to 92mph have been recorded at the Needles on the Isle of Wight, the Met Office said.

At Mumbles Head near Swansea, on the South Wales coast, gusts have reached 87mph, while at St Mary's Airport on the Isles of Scilly they have hit 79mph.

During Storm Arwen in November 2021, wind speeds peaked at 98mph at Brizlee Wood in Northumberland.

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09:56 AM

Pictured: Storm Eunice approaching full fury

Porthcawl, Wales

Tow Law, County Durham

Swansea, south Wales

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09:47 AM

Sandbanks ferries cancelled between Poole and Studland

In Dorset, the Sandbanks ferry between Poole and Studland has been cancelled.

A spokesman said: "We have had to suspend service immediately due to the drastically worsening conditions.

"We do not know when we will be able to resume service."

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09:45 AM

Fallen tree and damaged power lines causes road closures in Liskeard, Cornwall

Devon and Cornwall Police tweeted that the A38 in Liskeard has been closed in both directions while emergency services respond to an incident where a tree has fallen on to a lorry and power lines have been damaged.

The road is expected to be closed for at least a couple of hours.

Drivers are urged to use alternative routes.

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09:41 AM

'Sting jet' possible, say experts, as Great Storm of 1987 is recalled

The Met Office has warned that a weather phenomenon known as a sting jet could form on Friday as Storm Eunice takes hold.

The forecaster defines a sting jet as a small area of very intense winds, which can be as strong as 100mph or more, that can form in powerful weather systems crossing the UK.

While the strongest winds usually take place for a short period of time, perhaps around four hours, and across an area as small as 30 miles, the Met Office said the phenomenon can cause "significant damage and risk to life".

The so-called Great Storm in October 1987, which claimed 18 lives, is the most famous example of a sting jet forming, the forecaster said. In that instance wind speeds reached 115mph and an estimated 15 million trees were brought down by gusts.

The jets get their name from their resemblance to the sting in a scorpion's tail, with the Met Office describing how they can be spotted as they develop on satellite images, where the end of the so-called cold conveyor is marked by a hook-shaped cloud with a point at the end.

Explaining how these jets form, the forecaster said weather fronts separate areas of warm and cold air and their interaction creates and develops wet and windy weather.

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09:36 AM

'Follow the advice and take precautions to keep safe', urges the PM

Boris Johnson has urged people to follow advice from the Met Office and thanked responders "for all their efforts".

The Prime Minister Tweeted: "The Met Office has issued a Red Weather Warning for much of the UK.

"We should all follow the advice and take precautions to keep safe. I thank responders for all their efforts."

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09:25 AM

Coastguard urges people to stay at home

The Coastguard also urged people to stay at home.

In a Twitter post, it said: "Storm Eunice is forecast to be at its most dangerous this morning, especially in the South West, with a danger to life in some areas.

"Please stay home if you can & avoid exposed coastal areas."

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09:23 AM

All flights in and out of London City Airport in UK cancelled until 4:30pm

All flights in and out of London City Airport have been cancelled until 4:30pm this afternoon due to the arrival of Storm Eunice on Friday morning.

This comes after EasyJet and British Airways cancelled a number of flights from various UK airports.

EasyJet said in a statement: "Due to strong winds impacting parts of the UK today, like other airlines we are experiencing some disruption to our flying programme and have been required to cancel a small number of flights to and from the UK.

"We are doing all possible to minimise the impact of the weather disruption for our customers and have notified those on cancelled flights in advance, with the option of transferring to an alternative flight free of charge or receiving a refund, as well as providing hotel accommodation and meals for customers who require them.

"We continue to advise all customers due to fly with us today to check the status of their flights on our Flight Tracker page for real-time information, and to allow extra time to travel to the airport due to the impact of the weather on local public transport services.

"While this is outside of our control, we would like to apologise to customers for the inconvenience caused by the weather.

"The safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew is always easyJet's highest priority."

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09:16 AM

More than 55,000 homes in Ireland lose power amid storm chaos

More than 55,000 homes, farms and businesses were without power in Ireland on Friday morning, as Storm Eunice battered the country.

Counties Cork, Kerry and the south of the country have borne the brunt of the major storm so far, as it begins to move eastwards over the rest of the morning.

The storm has brought high winds and snow to parts of the island, with numerous reports of fallen trees blocking roads.

ESB estimates that more disruption to power supplies can be expected in the hours to come.

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09:14 AM

Londoners urged to stay at home and avoid non-essential travel

London Mayor Sadiq Khan echoed TfL's advice to avoid non-essential travel in the capital.

He said: "I urge all Londoners to stay at home, do not take risks, and do not travel unless it is absolutely essential. "City Hall is in close contact with key agencies across the capital and our city is as prepared as possible for any potential impacts of Storm Eunice.

"However, it is vital that Londoners listen to the official advice today and stay at home until the storm has passed."

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09:10 AM

Storm Eunice: Government to hold Cobra meeting on Friday afternoon

The Government's Cobra civil contingencies committee is to meet on Friday afternoon to discuss the response to Storm Eunice, a Government spokesman has said,

The meeting will be chaired by Cabinet Office minister Michael Ellis.

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09:08 AM

Red weather warning for London as powerful winds blast Britain

Storm Eunice has prompted rare danger-to-life red weather warnings, with people being told to stay indoors as winds are expected to reach 90mph.

A red weather warning - the highest alert, meaning a high impact is very likely - was issued on Friday morning for London and the South East of England due to the expected combination of high tides, strong winds and storm surge. A second red warning is in place for the coastline of Devon, Cornwall and Somerset as well as the south coast of Wales.

There are also yellow warnings for wind until 6pm in the Midlands, north-east England, north-west England, some of Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland, as well as in south-west England, and parts of the West Midlands. A separate yellow warning for snow is in place for much of Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England until the same time.

The Met Office has also taken the unusual step of issuing a severe weather alert with National Highways for strong winds covering the whole of the country's strategic road network from 6am to 6pm.

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08:37 AM

Schools in Swansea close for 36,000 pupils amid 'really dangerous' storm

Rob Stewart, leader of City and County of Swansea Council, has warned that Storm Eunice poses a "really dangerous situation" as schools in the area close for 36,000 pupils.

Speaking to Sky News, Mr Stewart said the decision to have pupils attend lessons remotely and for civic buildings like libraries and community centres to close was made on Thursday as the area prepared for the extreme weather conditions.

He said: "I mean it is, unfortunately, a combination that we are dealing with of heavy rain over the last few days which has swelled the rivers, we've got high tides at the moment and, of course, this very, very rare red-rated storm so we're as prepared as we can be but it is looking very dangerous for the next few hours."

He added: "We've given safety messages and, again, I would repeat those. If people are choosing to venture out today, stay away from our coastal lines, stay away from our rivers, do not put yourself in danger, stay at home if you can and work from home if you can so, you know, this is a really dangerous situation."

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08:26 AM

Storm Eunice: A 'really serious situation' that could lead to evacuations

Roy Stokes, the Environment Agency spokesperson for the Midlands, said Storm Eunice is a "really, really serious situation" and some people may have to leave their homes.

Speaking on Sky News, he said: "What I would stress as well is that, folks, listen to the advice from the emergency services.

"This is a really, really serious situation and I know that people don't always want to leave their homes but in this case it might be the best advice, so listen to what you're being told on the ground.

"Keep an eye on things and we'll just watch this come through now and hopefully it won't be as bad as we're all expecting but we always prepare for the worst and hope for the best."

He added: "People talk about the perfect storms, so the high spring tides combined with this storm that's moving in now, it's just the worst possible thing really for the (Severn) Estuary so the worst case scenario is that some of those flood defences that have protected people over the years could be over topped."

Weather warnings in place for Storm Eunice:

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08:20 AM

British Airways cancels number of flights due to 'gale force winds'

British Airways has cancelled "a number of flights" due to "gale force winds".

The airline said in a statement: "Like other airlines, we're expecting extreme weather conditions at airports across the UK as a result of Storm Eunice, which will cause significant disruption.

"Safety is our number one priority, and we're cancelling a number of flights.

"We're doing everything we can to minimise disruption for our customers, including putting on larger aircraft where possible and providing a range of flexible rebooking options.

"We'd like to thank customers for their patience and advise them to check the latest flight information on our website before heading to the airport."

Heathrow Airport wrote on Twitter: "High winds and poor weather may cause last-minute delays, but we will do everything in our power to minimise any disruption that results."

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08:08 AM

Satellite footage of Storm Eunice as meteorologist warns of a 'dangerous weather day incoming'

The UK's second storm in a week has prompted rare danger-to-life warnings, with people being told to stay indoors as winds are expected to reach 90mph.

A rare red weather warning - the highest alert, meaning a high impact is very likely - will come into place from 7am on Friday due to the combination of high tides, strong winds and storm surge because of Storm Eunice, the Met Office said.

There is a risk of "flying debris resulting in danger to life" and "damage to buildings and homes, with roofs blown off and power lines brought down" along the coastline of Devon, Cornwall and Somerset as well as the south coast of Wales.

Professional meteorologist Scott Duncan posted satellite imagery as the storm approaches:

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07:55 AM

Storm Eunice: What you should do right now to weather it out

Much of the south of England is living under a red weather warning today as the country braces for storm Eunice to hit.

South-west England, south Wales and south-east England are all in line to be battered by hurricane-level gusts of wind that could peak at 100mph, the Met Office have advised. Heavy snow and blizzards could also strike.

So what practical steps can people take to prepare?

1. Get supplies in

2. Only go out if absolutely necessary

3. Secure your home

4. Call your insurer

Read what you can do to prepare in our explainer here

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07:45 AM

Army on 'high readiness standby' to help during storm, says Government minister

People should "take precautions" during Storm Eunice, the Government has said, adding that the Army is on "high readiness standby" to help.

Home Office minister Damian Hinds told Sky News: "We are strongly encouraging people to take precautions and make sure they stay safe."

He added: "Over the longer term a lot of learning has been done from Storm Arwen, particularly on dealing with welfare issues, staying in touch with people, staying in touch with customers for the (power) networks.

"But in the immediate term there are troops on high readiness standby, the Environment Agency on the ground, the networks themselves have to be very much active, and they are.

"Weather is unpredictable and it is really important that we all continue... to take those precautions and try to keep everyone safe."

Asked if people could get "cut off" by the storm, Mr Hinds said that was "absolutely a risk", and the red weather warning indicated a "risk to life and limb".

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07:32 AM

Heavy snowfall in County Durham as Storm Eunice hits

The Met Office has issued a yellow snow warning for northern England, including Durham, and has warned snowfall could be heavy in places due to Storm Eunice.

Scotland is also braced for snow across most of the country today.

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07:22 AM

Waving, not drowning

Thrill-seekers have been warned to stay away from coastal areas, but the message obviously did not reach everyone. Heavy waves pulled one woman off the sea wall at Towan beach in Newquay and into the ocean. The ferocious backwash and undertow carried the woman swiftly away from shore, but fortunately she managed to get back to the beach with the help of onlookers.

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07:05 AM

What is a red weather warning?

Paul Gundersen, the Met Office's chief meteorologist, said: "The red warning areas indicate a significant danger to life as extremely strong winds provide the potential for damage to structures and flying debris."

There is a risk of "damage to buildings and homes, with roofs blown off and power lines brought down".

People have been warned to tie down objects in their gardens and be wary of fierce winds that could cause trees to topple over and tiles to fly off buildings.

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06:35 AM

Warning issued for entire strategic road network

The Met Office has taken the unusual step of issuing a severe weather alert with National Highways for strong winds covering the whole of the country's strategic road network from 6am to 6pm.

National Highways said high-sided vehicles and other "vulnerable" vehicles such as caravans and motorbikes could be blown over so should avoid bridges and viaducts.

Jeremy Phillips, the National Highways head of road safety, urged those travelling to "plan your trip and take extra care, allowing more time for your journey".

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06:22 AM

East Midlands Railway warns trains may not run

East Midlands Railway has advised that trains to and from London St Pancras "may be withdrawn at short notice" due to Storm Eunice.

"You should only travel if your journey is unavoidable," the firm added on Twitter.

National Rail said there would be no trains between Nottingham and Skegness until about 8am, and Northern said it was advising customers "NOT TO TRAVEL across the Northern network".

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06:18 AM

In pictures: Storms cause havoc as strong winds batter Britain

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05:34 AM

Dutch airline cancels flights to and from Amsterdam

KLM, the Dutch arm of airline group Air France-KLM, said it would cancel almost 170 flights to and from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport on Friday.

Storm Eunice is expected to hit the Netherlands on Friday afternoon with wind gusts of up to 80 miles per hour, the Dutch meteorology institute said as it urged people throughout the country to stay indoors if possible.

In the UK, some airports including Gatwick and Stansted are advising customers to check the status of their flights with airlines, as well as allow plenty of time to travel.

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05:17 AM

Country urged to prepare for damage and disruption

Annie Shuttleworth, a Met Office forecaster, said the whole of the country would be affected by the extremely strong and damaging winds, which will cause significant disruption.

"People will see significant delays to travel and power cuts, so you should avoid travelling if you can and stay at home when winds reach the highest speeds.

"In areas covered by the red warning, especially coastal regions, there is likely to be overtopping of the sea, flooding to roads and homes, trees being overturned, tiles coming off buildings and power lines being toppled over.

"Make sure you follow the advice of local authorities and councils."

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04:55 AM

Greater Manchester residents told to avoid non-essential travel

Transport for Greater Manchester has asked customers to "please consider whether your journey is essential today and take care if you are out and about".

The operator said Storm Eunice was "likely to cause significant disruption due to extremely strong winds today" across the region from 5am until 9pm.

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04:44 AM

London Eye, Warwick Castle among attractions to close for safety

A number of attractions including the London Eye, Legoland and Warwick Castle are temporarily closed for safety reasons today.

Many parks and open spaces, including the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, west London, and Wakehurst, West Sussex, have also closed their doors.

“This isn’t a decision we have taken lightly,” Kew Gardens announced in a statement. “We always put the safety of our staff and visitors first.”

Legoland tweeted that “due to the weather warning issued by the Met Office we’ve made the difficult decision to close”.

Royal Parks said on Twitter: “This decision is based on the strong winds, the age and vulnerability of trees in particular parks.”

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04:27 AM

Breaking news: Red warning for London and the East

A red weather warning for wind for the East of England including London has been issued by the Met Office ahead of the arrival of Storm Eunice.

The warning covering Greater London, Kent, Surrey, Essex and East Sussex joined an earlier red weather warning starting from 7am along the coastline of Devon, Cornwall and Somerset as well as the south coast of Wales due to the combination of high tides, strong winds and storm surge.

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03:48 AM

Commuter disruption 'inevitable' as roads and bridges close

Commuters have been warned to expect chaos on Friday morning as Storm Eunice sweeps in across the UK.

Strong winds could cause trees to be blown on to train lines, possibly leading to delays and cancellations.

A Network Rail spokesman said disruption was "inevitable" and Welsh services would be suspended for the whole day.

The railway operator said there would be blanket speed restrictions of 50mph in most places, with winds forecast to reach 90mph in some areas.

London North East Railway urged customers with tickets for Friday to travel on Saturday instead or get a refund due to expected disruption and damage.

A number of bridges are also shut. The M48 Severn Bridge has been closed in both directions due to strong winds, National Highways (NH) said. Drivers were encouraged to use the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge as an alternative to travel between England and Wales, though NH said the bridge was also later expected to be closed.

The service said the A14 Orwell Bridge in Suffolk would be closed in both directions from 4am with the the Dartford Crossing, which acts as a link between Essex and Kent, shut from 5am.

An RAC Breakdown spokesman urged people who could work from home to do so: "We also urge people not to be tempted to drive to the coast to take photos of the extreme conditions."

Here's today's weather forecast: