Storm Henry causes travel disruption across the UK as powerful winds continue

By Adam Douty, AccuWeather.com Meteorologist

February 1,2016; 9:44PM,EST

 

 

Just days after Gertrude brought damaging wind gusts to the United Kingdom, Storm Henry is slamming Britain with another round of showers and strong wind.
Gertrude brought wind gusts of 132 mph (212 km/h) to the summit of Cairngorm Mountain in Scotland and caused power cuts to more than 13,000 homes, according to The Telegraph.

Storm Gertrude batters Shetland, Orkney Islands

While the wind from Gertrude was relatively quick hitting, AccuWeather Meteorologist Tyler Roys said that "Henry will bring a more prolonged period of damaging wind."
Strong winds have already lashed the United Kingdom and will continue into Monday night. Wind gusts over 50 mph (80 km/h) were common across Northern Ireland and Scotland Monday afternoon with gusts over 40 mph (65 km/h) elsewhere. A wind gust of 89 mph (143 km/h) was reported in South Uist, Scotland while a gust to 82 mph (132 km/h) was reported in Benbecula.

"These winds will continue to strengthen into Monday night," Roys said.
Northern Ireland and Scotland will once again be at risk for the strongest winds. It is likely for gusts to exceed 75 mph (120 km/h) along the western coast and in exposed areas. Gusts of over 100 mph (160 km/h) will batter parts of the Highlands.

Farther south, the potential exists for frequent wind gusts past 50 mph (80 km/h) across Wales and the Midlands.
"Much of the strong winds will remain north of London," Roys said.
However, it will still be windier than during Storm Gertrude. There could be an isolated gust to 50 mph (80 km/h).
When compared to Storm Gertrude, Henry's impacts will be prolonged in many communities. The strongest winds across the United Kingdom are expected to occur during into Monday night.
"Winds will likely even persist into early Tuesday," AccuWeather Meteorologist Courtney Spamer said. By this time, however, the strongest winds will have subsided in most areas.
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The combination of the prolonged and more widespread nature of Henry's powerful winds will put more of the U.K. at risk for tree damage and power cuts.
Travel disruptions, which could be more lengthy than during Storm Gertrude, are possible. This includes delays and cancellations to rail, ferry and airline services. Drivers of high-sided vehicles may face dangerous crosswinds. According to The Guardian, there have been road closures and train services suspended in Scotland Monday afternoon from Storm Henry.
The Forth Road Bridge was limited to car traffic following accidents involving a van and lorry being blown off the roadway. The BBC added that numerous schools were cancelled in the Highlands and Western Isles due to this powerful storm.
The strong winds also threaten to trigger another round of coastal flooding along the western coast of the British Isles during high tide.

While Henry will be remembered more for its wind than rain, any significant rainfall can lead to new localized flooding problems in the saturated areas of Northern Ireland, western Scotland and North West England.
"The good news is that there will not be much rain for places around Cardiff, which received more than three times the normal monthly rainfall in January," Spamer said.
Content contributed by Meteorologist Eric Leister.