Storm White has brought strong winds to the north of the UK, with gusts of up to 80mph possible in exposed coastal areas. Amber warnings are in place for parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England, with gusts of between 60mph and 70mph expected in the wider warning area.
A number of events have been cancelled and transport disruptions have been reported due to the bad weather. In Merseyside, the River of Light event will not take place for a second day in a row. Knowsley Safari Park also announced it would remain closed due to “strong winds“.
Several markets in northwest England have also been cancelled, including the Quayside Makers Market in Salford and the Macclesfield Treacle Market in Cheshire. In Ireland, Dublin Airport has cancelled several flights to and from the island. Ferry operators Stena Line, Irish Ferries and P&O Ferries have all cancelled some of their Irish Sea sailings.
Tanker reports distress call
An oil tanker with 21 people on board reported distress call due to high waves on Saturday afternoon. The ship was about 350 nautical miles off the Isle of Mull, off the west coast of Scotland.
A Royal Air Force plane was sent to assess the situation and has established contact with the vessel. A spokesman for the UK's Maritime and Coastguard Agency said no assistance was required and the tanker continued on its course.
“It was determined that no assistance was required and the vessel will continue on its route“, the agency spokesman said.Warning of transport and power outages
The UK's Met Office's chief forecaster Jason Kelly urged people to prepare for possible travel and power outages.
The strong winds hit parts of the UK just days after another storm also caused transport problems and the cancellation of public events. Restrictions are expected to continue to affect mainly coastal and open areas.
Sources: bbc.co.uk, itv.com