A fatal incident occurred as the latest winter storm, Storm Isha, wreaked havoc across Britain and Ireland on Monday. The storm brought heavy rain and wind gusts reaching nearly 100 miles (160 kilometers) per hour, resulting in the death of a motorist, widespread power outages affecting tens of thousands, and the cancellation of hundreds of trains.
The U.K.’s Met Office issued an unprecedented nationwide wind warning before the storm reached its peak overnight. In Northern Ireland, the storm uprooted famous beech trees featured in “Game of Thrones” and scattered trees across roadsides and rail tracks, causing train disruptions. Tragically, an 84-year-old man lost his life when the car he was in struck a fallen tree in Scotland on Sunday night.
A radar station in northeastern England recorded a gust of 99 miles per hour during the storm. Since fall, Ireland and the U.K. have experienced a series of stormy weather events, with Isha marking the ninth named storm since September. Another storm named Jocelyn, forecasted by Ireland’s Met Eireann, is expected to bring more winds and rain on Tuesday and into Wednesday.
The storm prompted the suspension of train services in Scotland on Sunday night and the imposition of speed limits on railway lines across England, Scotland, and Wales to prevent engine damage from debris. High winds, fallen trees, and overturned trucks led to the closure of several major roads in Scotland and northern England. Police in Northern Ireland emphasized the impassability of many roads due to debris and ongoing high wind speeds.
In County Antrim, Northern Ireland, the storm caused three trees to fall at Dark Hedges, a popular tourist destination known for its beech trees featured in “Game of Thrones.” The area’s Dark Hedges Preservation Trust expressed sadness over the damage to these approximately 250-year-old trees, which are nearing the end of their typical lifespan.
In Huddersfield, near Leeds in Northern England, an Alpaca shed was blown into the road, as reported by the local council on social media. The storm also led to flight diversions, including a Canary Islands to Dublin flight that ended up in Bordeaux, France.
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Widespread power outages affected approximately 230,000 homes and businesses in Ireland, with an additional 40,000 lacking power in Northern Ireland. The Met Office forecasted that the storm would gradually move away through Monday, though windy conditions would persist.
