Strong winds have disrupted travel across parts of the UK as millions embark on their Christmas getaways. Yellow weather warnings for wind have been issued for Scotland, Northern Ireland,
and northern England, with gusts reaching up to 82 mph in South Uist in the Western Isles. Winds of 50–60 mph have been forecast for areas further south.
The severe weather has led to widespread travel issues, including ferry cancellations, road closures, flight disruptions at Heathrow Airport, and delays across rail networks.
Travel chaos amid busy weekend
As the Christmas holiday approaches, motoring experts have predicted this to be the busiest travel weekend of the year. The RAC has warned drivers to prepare for a “pretty exhausting experience” and encouraged patience on the roads.
A yellow weather warning came into effect at 7:00 GMT on Saturday and will remain in place until 21:00 GMT on Sunday. The warning covers Scotland, North West and North East England, parts of North Wales, and Northern Ireland. On Sunday, the affected area will expand to include South West England, Derbyshire, Hampshire, parts of the West Midlands and Yorkshire, as well as all of Wales and Northern Ireland.
The Met Office has cautioned against dangerous coastal conditions, citing large waves as an additional hazard.
Ferry and rail services impacted
Transport Scotland has reported that road, rail, air, and ferry services are likely to face significant disruptions. By midday Saturday, CalMac, which operates ferries off Scotland's west coast, had canceled 21 routes, while others experienced delays. Similarly, Northlink Ferries canceled services between Kirkwall on Orkney and Lerwick in the Shetland Isles, as well as between Aberdeen and Lerwick.
ScotRail imposed speed restrictions on some routes, causing delays of up to 30 minutes. P&O Ferries and Stena Line also canceled multiple sailings due to adverse weather conditions.
Airports and roads see delays
Heathrow Airport confirmed that a "small number of flights" were canceled on Saturday due to strong winds and airspace restrictions. On the roads, National Highways closed the M48 Severn Bridge in Gloucestershire in both directions due to high winds, advising drivers to use the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge instead. Sections of the A66 in North Yorkshire and Cumbria were also closed due to hazardous conditions.
Motorists advised to prepare
With an estimated 14 million drivers hitting the roads this weekend, the RAC predicts congestion hotspots, including the M1, M25, and M3. The AA described the situation as a "perfect storm" of Christmas traffic and bad weather, urging drivers to allow extra time and maintain safe distances.
RAC spokesman Rod Dennis emphasized the importance of patience, especially with heavy winds and wintry showers making driving conditions challenging. Traffic is expected to peak on Saturday and Christmas Eve.
Rail closures begin for the holidays
In addition to weather-related disruptions, planned rail closures have begun. A section of the Midland Main Line between London St Pancras and Bedford will remain closed until 29 December for infrastructure upgrades, impacting travel to Luton Airport.
Mild weather expected for Christmas
While winds are expected to ease by Monday, a white Christmas appears unlikely. According to Met Office meteorologist Alex Deakin, the UK will experience "a grey Christmas," with mild temperatures and rain predicted to dominate the holiday period. Photo by Harold Potts, Wikimedia commons.
