Storm warnings lifted as calmer weather finally arrives

Respite is on the way after days of storms. The last weather warning from a run of three storms in a matter of days has been lifted, and forecasters expect the rest of the week to be much calmer across the UK, including in Birmingham.

A yellow wind warning covering most of Scotland and parts of northern England and Northern Ireland came into force at 3am today and was lifted at 6pm. The latest system was not as disruptive as Storm Boelo, or Storm Austen before it.

The lights back on

Power companies have been working through the aftermath. The north of Scotland's network operator, SSEN, said 108,000 customers had been reconnected, with about 2,000 still without power. Scottish Power Energy Networks said all but a very small number of the 50,000 customers who lost power in Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway would have it back by the early hours of Tuesday, and almost 100,000 homes had their power restored in those areas over the weekend.

The storms were fierce in places. Storm Boelo brought heavy flooding and gusts of up to 85mph on Monday, and today a gust of 76mph was recorded at Stornoway Airport and 71mph on Tiree.

Sadly, a 60-year-old man died after being struck by a falling tree near Castle Douglas in Dumfries and Galloway on Sunday, and a search was carried out after a person was reportedly swept out to sea in Largs on Monday night.

Schools and travel

The clean-up has kept some schools in Scotland closed because of a lack of power, heating failures or storm damage, and travellers there were warned of speed restrictions on some railway routes and possible disruption to ferries and flights.

What it means for Birmingham

Birmingham was largely spared the worst of the weather, which hit the north and west hardest. With the storms moving away, the rest of the half-term week is forecast to be much calmer, giving families a better chance of getting outdoors.

The darker evenings since the clocks went back mean outdoor plans are best kept to the daytime. Paths in parks and woodland may still have fallen branches and plenty of wet leaves after the weekend, so it is worth taking care underfoot.

Lessons from a stormy week

Three storms in a matter of days is a reminder of how quickly the weather can turn in autumn. The Met Office's advice during the storms was to keep essentials such as torches and batteries ready in case of power cuts.

For now, though, the outlook is quieter. Keep an eye on the Met Office forecast for the week ahead.