POWER CUTS AND TRAVEL HIT IN BRENDAN BLAST:
HOMES were left without power, roads were closed and public transport severely disrupted as Storm Brendan blasted North Wales.
Winds of almost 80mph, torrential rain and hailstorms hammered the region on Monday afternoon.
Flood alerts were also in place along the coast.
The large Atlantic low pressure system arrived from Ireland at around 1pm, and continued to cause severe problems through to the evening.
Gusts reached 79mph in Capel Curig, the highest reading in North Wales, while Aberdaron recorded wind speeds of 74mph.
The worst of the weather was experienced in Anglesey, Gwynedd and Conwy, with the Met Office issuing a yellow weather warning for those areas from 10am on Monday until midnight.
The storm caused disruption on the roads as drivers battled with strong winds and heavy rain.
On the A55, the roof of a static caravan being transported by a lorry blew off into the road between Penmaenmawr in Conwy and the Pen y Clip tunnel just before 2pm.
The incident sparked delays for motorists, with Traffic Wales warning drivers to take care while passing the scene of the incident.
It was cleared just after
4pm.
Speed restrictions were also put into place on the A55 at the Britannia Bridge.
Elsewhere, Digbeth Terrace in Bontnewydd was closed after a large tree fell through power lines and onto the road.
Residents were warned the road was set to be impassible for at least 24 hours.
The A4086 between Cibyn and Pontrug was also closed due to a fallen tree.
A handful of other minor roads across the region were blocked due to fallen trees.
Ferry services were severely disrupted due to the weather, with hundreds of passengers left stranded in the Irish Sea until they could safely dock.
Stena Line’s new ferry Stena Estrid was delayed arriving into Dublin on its maiden voyage due to the weather, while the Irish Ferries vessel WB Yeats had to wait off the coast of Anglesey for several hours before arriving at Holyhead Port in calmer seas.
Bus users were also warned to expect delays to their services in Gwynedd and Anglesey due to fallen trees and disruption on the roads caused by the storm.
Dozens of homes and businesses across the region were left without power as the adverse conditions damaged power cables.
Supplies were hit in the Caernarfon area in the early afternoon due to damage to a low-lying overhead power line, before some supplies were removed in the Betws-yCoed area due to a branch coming into contact with overhead lines.
Scottish Power said there were also outages in the Treborth area of Gwynedd, as well as the Moelfre and Benllech areas of Anglesey.
Both were due to a “grounded conductor”, they said. A further power cut was also reported in the Corwen area on Monday night.
Wind was not the only issue to strike North Wales, with torrential downpours also causing problems.
Ysgol Bod Alaw in Colwyn Bay was forced to close part of the school to pupils in reception, years one and two on Tuesday after flooding in one of their buildings.
In a statement to parents, they said: “Unfortunately, due to problems with the flat roof in the Foundation Phase, water has been pouring into the building in several places.
“In order to ensure everyone’s safety a decision was made to shut off the electricity supply to this area.
“This will also affect the heating in the classrooms.
“As the weather forecast is for more significant rain and high winds overnight and into tomorrow, the repair works will unable to be completed until it is safe for the workers.
“A decision has therefore been made to close the above classes until the works have been completed.”
They said arrangements for what will happen for those pupils from Wednesday onwards would be made today.
The council was forced to close several recycling centres in Gwynedd, while council workers also struggled to collect recycling from some parts of Anglesey, meaning collection times had to be rescheduled.
Three flood alerts were put into place by Natural Resources Wales, which encompassed the entire North Wales coastline from the Dee Estuary across to Aberdyfi.
The agency warned spring tides were likely to cause issues along the coast, with conditions even more treacherous due to the strong winds causing large waves and spray.
The RNLI and coastguard warned people heading towards the coastline of Wales to keep safe from the stormy conditions.
Chris Cousens, RNLI regional water safety lead for Wales, said: “This rough weather could make visiting parts of the Welsh coastline treacherous and bring very dangerous sea conditions.
“Sadly, around 150 people lose their lives on British and Irish coasts each year and over half of these people didn’t plan on ever entering the water.
“Slips, trips and falls can be a major factor in these kinds of incidents.”
HM coastguard urged people to keep safe if heading towards the coast to take pictures.
A spokesman said: “Stormy weather might produce breathtaking photographs but it might be the last breath you ever take if you’re there at the wrong moment.
“With parts of the UK set to be battered by strong winds this week, please don’t risk your life to take pictures at the coast, however dramatic it looks.”
A yellow weather warning was in place across North Wales until midnight yesterday, with the Met Office warning that gusts of up to 70mph could return.
Further spells of heavy rain and strong winds are forecast to hit Wales through the week.