Flooded roads and floating cars – the aftermath of Storm Bronagh in Wales
HEAVY rainfall and powerful gusts brought by Storm Bronagh are set to ease as the weather system moves into the North Sea, forecasters have said.
Coming hot on the heels of Storm Ali, the second named storm of the year has caused travel misery and widespread disruption, with fallen trees and flooding blocking roads and rail routes.
Forecasters said the impact of Bronagh is “waning”, and is mostly restricted to offshore areas in the North East.
Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge told the Press Association: “We have got reasonably good weather conditions anticipated over the next few days, given that Storm Bronagh is now leaving our shores.
“It exited the North East last night and in the early hours of the morning into the North Sea, although the back end of the storm will still cause heavy winds in offshore areas in the North East.
“Its influence over the weather picture is waning, and in truth it is only really going to be impacting upon those offshore north-eastern areas.”
Mr Madge said forecasters anticipate nationwide sunshine and showers in the coming days, with some strong winds still anticipated.
Today is expected to bring rain moving from the south west into the south east.
Tomorrow, forecasters are anticipating the arrival of another low pressure system, although Mr Madge said it will be “perhaps not as bad as first feared”.
At its worst, Bronagh brought heavy rain and showers as it swept across the country, with 78mph gusts recorded overnight in the Needles on the Isle of Wight.
Parts of Wales were badly hit by the downpours, with Bala in Gwynedd and Capel Curig in Conwy recording 58.2mm and 58mm of rainfall respectively over a 12-hour period stretching from Thursday evening to yesterday morning.
In Cynghordy, near Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, footage surfaced of a car floating along a fast-flowing river, in what police described as “incredible weather conditions”.
Sheffield saw nearly half a month’s rain fall in 24 hours, and images posted on social media showed flooding on a number of roads and at the city’s train station overnight.
Speed restrictions were in place for many trains across the network in Wales and England due to high winds, which were forecast to reach between 45mph and 50mph across much of the country.
Commuters in Wales faced some of the most severe delays, after Bronagh caused flooding on the lines between Machynlleth and Aberystwyth, and near Mountain Ash.
Some Southeastern services were delayed after a train hit a tree at Maidstone East early yesterday, and services in the south west were operating with delays on a number of
routes thanks to fallen trees and enforced speed restrictions.
In cricket’s County Championship, Somerset were forced to abandon their clash with Surrey after wind blew off the covers and caused an unfit playing surface.
Yesterday morning, the Environment Agency had 27 flood alerts in place – the lowest level of the threetier warning system.
The alerts cover a number of rivers in northern England and as far south as the River Wye in Herefordshire.
Residents in one area of Cardiff woke up yesterday morning to find one of the city’s busiest roads completely flooded.
A burst water main on Allensbank Road, which runs alongside Cathays Cemetery, left the area ankle deep in water.
At first it was thought the amount of rain on Thursday night as Storm Bronagh passed over the capital was to blame. But Welsh Water confirmed it was a main under the road that had burst.
It said only a small number of residents were going to be affected but water tanks were seen in the area ready to provide water if homes were badly affected.
A spokeswoman said it had been monitoring the nearby University Hospital of Wales to make sure it was not having any issues with water pressure. She added: “We have been liaising with the hospital and their supplies have not been affected.”
Meanwhile, the storm caused flooding in Pontypridd, where a road was left looking more like a river.
A video posted to Facebook showed deep water covering the A4058 Rhondda Road/Hopkinstown Road, between Pontypridd and Hopkinstown. The road runs alongside the Rhondda River.
Elsewhere, videos posted online showed a number of overflowing manholes shooting water into the air at Brecon Road, Merthyr Tydfil.
One video posted by Richard Jones showed water spluttering and gushing from a manhole on the junction between Brecon Road and Vulcan Road. During the clip, traffic can be seen driving through the flowing stream of water, before it erupts into a strong surge.
Another video filmed in Merthyr, this time in the Georgetown area, by Ellie Lewis showed a similar scene at a different manhole on Quarry Row.
Staff at Gwydir Castle, in Llanrwst, Conwy, arrived yesterday morning to find that the gardens were “decimated” and the cellars 6ft under water.
Judy Corbett and Peter Welford, who own the castle, estimated that the clean-up will take months.
Speaking to the Daily Post, Judy said: “We’re devastated. After 25 years of restoring the house, it’s heartbreaking to see it like this.
“Anyone who’s suffered flooding will know the agony it causes but when you’re responsible for a Grade I listed house, we’re on tenterhooks whenever it rains.
“There’s also six foot of water in the cellars which is having a huge impact on the house itself.”
For Wales tomorrow, strong, gusty winds are expected to develop towards the Liverpool Bay area later this morning, with these spreading eastwards across England and Wales during the afternoon. These winds will be accompanied by heavy showers and thunderstorms. A yellow warning for rain is in place between 6am and midnight and one for wind, from 9am until midnight.
Monday and Tuesday are set to be dry and sunny, with light winds and a risk of patchy fog and frost forming Monday night.