Thousands of homes were left without power, cars were stranded in flooded roads, and roads were closed as Storm Gerrit battered the United Kingdom.
Parts of Scotland experienced a significant heavy snow with Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) saying workers had been dealing with wind speeds of 80mph in some coastal areas. While high winds and heavy rain demaged electricity networks across Scotland.
Fallen trees, branches and other debris brought down power lines. A yellow weather warning in the Shetlands remains in force until 6am.
SSEN said 25,000 homes lost power, but had it restored, with a further 16,000 expected to enter Thursday without electricity.
An SSEN spokesman said: “The widespread extent of the damage, the ongoing adverse weather conditions, and the challenges accessing faults due to fallen trees, flooding and road closures, together mean that full network restoration will take time.
“Some customers in rural areas may be off supply for up to 48 hours.”
The A9 in Scotland had closed but reopened after officers declared it “passable with care” after snow blocked the stretch between Drumochter and Dalwhinnie. Pictures from Cupar in Fife showed a stranded van that became stuck in flood water.
Scotland’s rail network experienced widespread cancellations and delays with a train driver’s cabin hit by a falling tree. Aslef Scotland confirmed the driver was uninjured and Labour MSP Paul Sweeney said passengers were also unharmed.
ScotRail suspended multiple train services until further notice, impacting trains travelling while other lines saw their timetables shelved until “a full inspection can be carried out” on the railway network. Train operator LNER, which runs services between London and Scotland on the East Coast Main Line, also advised customers not to travel due to the weather.
Customers stranded by the disruption were told to book hotels which they can claim back. Avanti West Coast, which operates services on the West Coast Main Line, said its route to Scotland is impassable with all services to and from London terminating at Preston.
Those with pre-booked tickets for travel between Preston and either Edinburgh or Glasgow can board trains on Thursday or Friday, the operator said. Heathrow Airport cancelled 18 flights due to air traffic control restrictions, understood to be return routes from Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Jersey and Manchester, and to Barcelona, Berlin, Madrid and Paris.
Storm Gerrit also brought plenty of rain gauge at the Great Langdale Valley in the Lake District recording 80mm – nearly half the usual 178mm monthly rainfall for December, the Met Office said.
The fastest recorded wind gusts so far are 86mph at Inverbervie on the north-east coast of Scotland, 84mph at Fair Isle and 83mph at Capel Curig, north Wales, the forecaster said.