Summary

Media caption,

Watch: Stranded cars and rough seas as Storm Chandra hits UK

  1. Storm Chandra brings danger to life warnings and January rainfall records across UKpublished at 18:58 GMT 27 January

    Adam Goldsmith
    Live reporter

    A man pushes a lorry in Antrim Northern IrelandImage source, Reuters

    Large parts of the UK have been hit today by flooding and strong winds as Storm Chandra swept across the country.

    Two danger-to-life flood warnings were issued; one in Devon after the River Otter reached its highest recorded level and burst its banks – this one has now been lifted, but another remains in Dorchester.

    Travel was inevitably disrupted - we've got a full rush hour round-up for details on how your commute home might be impacted.

    Rainy skies even meant that some places set new provisional rainfall records for a January day, with Katesbridge in Northern Ireland topping the lot as it recorded 100.8mm – its wettest day ever.

    As we move into tonight, BBC Weather's Stav Danaos tells us, Storm Chandra is expected to clear northwards, bringing clearer skies and lighter winds.

    This does mean, though, that icy stretches are likely to develop as temperatures drop.

    The Met Office has put yellow ice warnings in place for large parts of England, north Wales and southern Scotland, coming in at midnight and lifting at 10:00 on Wednesday.

    A separate yellow ice warning for Northern Ireland is in place from 03:00 tomorrow morning until 10:00.

    That brings our live coverage to a close, but we'll keep our news story updated with further developments.

  2. Power in Northern Ireland being restored following storm disruptionpublished at 18:44 GMT 27 January

    Truck drives through flood water in Northern IrelandImage source, Getty Images

    Homes in Northern Ireland are now being reconnected to electricity following a day of disruption due to Storm Chandra.

    At 16:00 GMT, around 2,000 homes were without electricity, down from the peak of about 10,000.

    “As we carry out repairs there is a chance that customers could experience temporary outages as the team isolate areas of the network to make them safe to restore," a spokesperson for Northern Ireland Electricity says.

    An amber warning for wind remains in place until 21:00 GMT and a yellow rain and wind warning is in effect until midnight.

    The Met Office has also issued an ice warning across Northern Ireland from 03:00 on Wednesday until 10:00.

  3. Community pulls together to re-direct floodwaterpublished at 18:31 GMT 27 January

    Street that looks like a river due to the storm and subsequent floods.

    Residents and firefighters joined forces at a housing estate in Culcavy in Northern Ireland after a nearby river burst its banks.

    Sandbags have been installed alongside makeshift dams to re-direct the water to prevent it entering any houses.

    David Dunlop - a local farmer - tells the BBC that he brought over some of his farm machinery to help.

    The mood in the community is hopeful, Dunlop says, adding that they were all "panicking a bit, but thankfully we're all pulling together."

    Dunlop says he thinks the last time the area flooded like this was in 2007.

  4. In pictures: River Otter's burst banks after reaching highest recorded levelpublished at 18:01 GMT 27 January

    An aerial shot of the River Otter's burst banksImage source, Getty Images

    As we reported a little earlier, a risk to life flooding warning covering the area around the River Otter in Ottery St Mary has now been lifted.

    These aerial images show just how far the floodwater spread after the east Devon river burst its banks.

    Some houses there have even seen floodwater encroaching on their gardens.

    The Environment Agency warns that further rainfall is forecast in the region.

    An aerial shot of the River Otter's burst banksImage source, Getty Images
    House with floodwater directly in front of itImage source, Getty Images
  5. Northern Ireland hamlet sees new wettest day on recordpublished at 17:42 GMT 27 January

    Barra Best
    BBC News NI weather presenter

    Katesbridge in County Down has experienced so much rainfall in the past 24 hours that it has not only set a new daily January rainfall record, but it has also had its wettest day ever on record.

    The weather station in the hamlet measured 100.8mm of rain between 09:00 GMT on Monday and 09:00 this morning - an extraordinary amount given that the site normally records 82.15mm during the entire month of January.

    The previous January day record stood at 38.2mm, set on the 15 January 2005.

    The 100.8mm total also surpasses the site’s all-time daily rainfall record of 70.7mm, recorded in August 1986.

    Overall, and with four days remaining this month, rainfall totals at the site have already reached 197% of the January average.

  6. Rush hour round-up: Disruption continues on some roads and railwayspublished at 17:18 GMT 27 January

    A highways worker standing in front a car stranded by floodwaterImage source, Getty Images

    It's been a day of disruption for much of UK as Storm Chandra brought strong winds, rain and even snow in areas.

    Here's the headline travel news as it stands:

    Rail

    National Rail has a general notice in place for the entire rail network, warning all passengers to check before they travel as routes may be impacted by the poor weather.

    However, it has warned of major disruption between Wilmslow and Crewe for the remainder of the day, due to a electrical supply issues and a tree blocking the line.

    It also advises there will be ongoing major disruption between Huddersfield and Manchester Victoria due to fire damage that occurred on the weekend.

    Road

    Several roads in south-west England are closed due to flooding, including the A303 between Ilminster and the Upottery.

    The A30 between Ottery St Mary and Exeter Airport has now reopened in both directions after being closed for much of the day due to flooding.

    In Northern Ireland, sections of the A51 Armagh Road, Tandragee, are closed due to flooding and the A2 dual carriageway is closed southbound toward Newry due to a storm-related crash.

  7. More football fixtures postponedpublished at 17:02 GMT 27 January

    Puddles on the pitch at EnfieldImage source, X/Enfield Town
    Image caption,

    No prizes for guessing what caused Enfield Town to postpone its fixture against Dorking Wanderers tonight

    For those of you travelling around the country for tonight's football fixtures, we're keeping an eye on postponements.

    Plymouth - which the Met Office says has set a new January daily rainfall record - says Argyle's fixture at Home Park against Mansfield Town remains on.

    Meanwhile, here's an update on some of the other fixtures that have fallen victim to the weather since our last update.

    England - League Two:

    • Barrow v Oldham Athletic
    • Cheltenham Town v Gillingham

    England - National League North:

    • Alfreton Town v Chorley
    • Hereford v Oxford City
    • Leamington v King's Lynn Town
    • South Shields v Fylde
    • Southport v Buxton
    • Spennymoor Town v Curzon Ashton
    • Worksop Town v Darlington

    England - National League South:

    • Bath City v Slough Town
    • Maidenhead United v AFC Totton
    • Salisbury v Chippenham
    • Torquay United v Farnborough
    • Chesham United v Hornchurch
    • Enfield Town v Dorking Wanderers
    • Weston-super-Mare v Hemel Hempstead Town

    In Scotland:

    Two Challenge Cup quarter finals have been postponed:

    • St Johnstone v Ayr United
    • Arbroath v Airdrieonians
  8. Images show flooding in Irish town after river bursts its bankspublished at 16:53 GMT 27 January

    As we reported in our last post, the River Slaney has burst its banks in Enniscorthy, causing parts of the town in the south east of the Republic of Ireland to flood.

    Here's some more images from the scene:

    A person carries another person on their back through the flood water in a streetImage source, PA Media
    A group of men in specialist clothing stand in flood waters and guide a boat carrying a man through the floodImage source, PA Media
    Flood waters fill a street up to people's windows on the ground floorImage source, PA Media
    Enniscorthy as seen from the air. The river has burst its banks and the buildings nearest are floodedImage source, PA Media
  9. Power cuts and flooding in Irelandpublished at 16:36 GMT 27 January

    Three people sit in a boat being pushed along by a rescue team in a flooded streetImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Rescue workers in Enniscorthy, County Wexford, Ireland, where the River Slaney has burst its banks

    People have been rescued from their vehicles in Dublin and thousands of homes are without power in the Republic of Ireland due to the effects of Storm Chandra.

    Ireland's Met Éireann has issued a yellow wind warning for the whole country until 23:00, while a yellow rain warning is in place for Carlow, Kilkenny, Louth, Wexford, Wicklow and Waterford until 23:00.

    The Dublin Fire Brigade says it rescued motorists from floodwaters this morning in areas such as Kilmacud and Rathfarnham, and is urging drivers to be cautious in flooded streets.

    Power distributor ESB Networks said that at around lunchtime approximately 5,500 homes, farms and businesses were without power, primarily in the east of the country.

    Other parts of the country including Wexford have also encountered flooding.

    "I've been in the middle of the road since 07:00 this morning stopping traffic this way and this way because, if the traffic was coming through, the waves were coming into the house," says Diane Dorman in Wexford.

    Diane Dorman in WexfordImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Diane Dorman in Wexford has been trying to stop waves of flood water from coming into her house

  10. Nearly 150 flights into and out of UK disrupted by Storm Chandrapublished at 16:27 GMT 27 January

    Here's an update on the situation in the skies as Storm Chandra's disruption hits flights and airports across the UK.

    UK departures: As of 15:15 GMT today, aviation analytics company Cirium reports that 78 flights scheduled to depart UK airports have been cancelled - that's out of 1,683 planned departures from the UK overall.

    UK arrivals: Cirium's analysis shows that a further 71 flights scheduled to arrive in the UK have been cancelled - out of 1,682 arrivals overall.

    Cirium also says the worst affected airports across the UK so far are:

    • Belfast City Airport - 26 departures cancelled, 25 arrivals cancelled
    • Birmingham Airport - eight departures cancelled, eight arrivals cancelled
    • Heathrow Airport - 10 departures cancelled, six arrivals cancelled
    • Manchester Airport - eight departures cancelled, six arrivals cancelled

  11. Icy scenes on the summit of Wales's tallest mountainpublished at 16:13 GMT 27 January

    Angela Ferguson
    BBC Wales

    Temperatures at the summit of Wales' tallest mountain, Yr Wyddfa - also known as Snowdon - plunged to a frosty -9C (16F) earlier.

    The icy scenes were captured by volunteer warden Tony Ellis.

    A Met Office yellow ice warning covering parts of Wales is due to come into force from 00:00 tomorrow until 10:00.

    Summit of Yr Wyddfa/Snowdonia in ice and snowImage source, Tony Ellis
    Summit of Yr Wyddfa/Snowdonia in ice and snowImage source, Tony Ellis
    Sign pointing to the summit of Yr WyddfaImage source, Tony Ellis
  12. 'A poor excuse not to go to work': Farm workers use canoe for the daily commutepublished at 15:58 GMT 27 January

    Amy Hey
    BBC South West

    George Darts from Darts Farm, in Topsham, Devon, considered the flooding a "poor excuse" to not go into work today.

    Instead, he dug out his canoe. With his sisters and Welsh terrier, Mr Chops, they paddled 800 metres across the wetlands to make it to work for 09:00.

    Darts Farm wasn't the only business to adapt to the weather. According to George, a local butcher also made a meat delivery via paddleboard.

    Other than the alternative mode of transport, George says the farm is operating normally.

    As we've been reporting, there has been significant flooding in parts of south-west England today. Our colleagues at , externalBBC South West have a live page running specifically focusing on the effects of Storm Chandra in the area.

    Media caption,

    Staff at Darts Farm kayak to work after Storm Chandra floods roads

  13. Gusts of 81mph recorded in last few hourspublished at 15:45 GMT 27 January

    Huge waves strike the Cornish coast at Castle Beach on January 27, 2026 in Falmouth, EnglandImage source, Getty Images

    The fastest wind speeds recorded over the last few hours from Storm Chandra have been in Malin Head in County Donegal, Republic of Ireland, and at Orlock Head in County Down, Northern Ireland, with both sites recording gusts of 81mph (130 km/h).

    There are still multiple wind warnings in place throughout the UK, including an amber warning covering parts of Northern Ireland until 21:00 GMT this evening.

    The other record gusts recorded on Tuesday are:

    • St Mary's Airport, Isles of Scilly - 76mph (122 km/h)
    • Mount Batten, Plymouth - 74mph (119 km/h)
    • St Bees Head, Cumbria : 74mph (119 km/h)
  14. Severe flood warning lifted for River Otterpublished at 15:18 GMT 27 January

    The severe danger-to-life flood warning for the River Otter at Ottery St Mary has now been lifted.

    As we've been reporting, the Environment Agency said earlier the river had hit its highest level on record, but levels at the nearest measuring point have since fallen.

    Flood warnings are still in place for parts of the river.

    A severe danger-to-life warning remains in place for Upper Frome, in Dorchester, and more than 100 flood warnings are in place elsewhere.

    For context: Flood alerts mean flooding is possible and people should be prepared, flood warnings mean it is expected and immediate action is required, while a severe flood warning means danger to life is likely.

  15. What does the latest forecast show?published at 15:05 GMT 27 January

    Stav Danaos
    BBC Weather

    Rain and hill snow have become largely confined to Scotland and northern England, while much of eastern England remains damp and cloudy with patchy light rain.

    Northern Ireland, Wales and western England are seeing a brighter afternoon, with sunny spells and scattered blustery showers - some of which may be heavy at times.

    The strongest winds are now mainly confined to western parts of the UK, with the highest gusts around Irish Sea coasts.

    These will become increasingly focused across Northern Ireland and south-west Scotland through the afternoon where severe gales will continue for a time, easing gradually during this evening.

    The Met Office amber wind warning is due to expire at 21:00 GMT.

    As we move into tonight, Storm Chandra will clear northwards, bringing clearer skies and lighter winds, allowing temperatures to fall.

    As a result, icy stretches are likely to develop on untreated surfaces, with slippery pavements in places.

    Met Office yellow ice warnings will be in force for large parts of England, north Wales and southern Scotland, coming in at midnight, and a yellow ice warning for Northern Ireland comes into force at 03:00.

    Both will remain in place until 10:00 GMT on Wednesday.

  16. Driver stranded for hours after getting stuck in floodwaterpublished at 14:32 GMT 27 January

    Miles Davis
    BBC South West

    Bartholomew Diaz in front of his car, stuck in flood water in Exeter, Devon

    Earlier I spoke to Bartholomew Diaz, whose white Mercedes got stuck in deep flood water underneath a railway bridge in Exeter, Devon.

    "My car has been stuck here since 06:13," he told me, after he'd already been stranded for about three-and-a-half hours.

    Bartholomew says the signage at the bridge on Vaughan Road is "not enough", and that there should be a "proper sign" to warn of dangers when the water level rises this high.

    And he adds the first thing he did was call the emergency services, saying they told him they could only offer help after the water subsides.

    A spokesperson for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said that in instances where there is widespread flooding it prioritises which incidents to attend "based on risk to life". The BBC has asked Devon County Council for a response.

    There are several flood warnings in place throughout the area.

  17. Several areas set new provisional rainfall records for a January daypublished at 14:12 GMT 27 January

    Several locations including sites in the south-west of England, Northern Ireland and Herefordshire have provisionally set new January daily rainfall records, according to the Met Office.

    Katesbridge, in Northern Ireland, has provisionally recorded more than 10 centimetres of rain.

    "Katesbridge has provisionally recorded its wettest day on record, while Plymouth (Mountbatten) also saw a notable record at a site with over 100 years of observations," it writes in a post on X.

    New January high daily rainfall records:

    • Katesbridge 100.8mm
    • Dunkeswell Aeordrome 52.8mm
    • Hurn 44.4mm
    • Cardinham, Bodmin 44.4mm
    • Plymouth, Mountbatten 43.2mm
    • Shobdon Airfield 27.8mm

  18. More than 100 flood warnings remain in placepublished at 13:56 GMT 27 January

    A house surrounded by flood water seen from aboveImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Roads have flooded in Weycroft, Axminster, leaving vehicles stranded

    As we've just reported, the Environment Agency has just issued another risk to life warning covering parts of Dorchester. Here's a look at the other flood warnings in place:

    A severe flood warning, which cautions danger to life, is also in place for the River Otter at Ottery St Mary in Devon.

    Meanwhile, across different parts of England, there are 117 additional flood warnings currently in place, with a further 239 areas covered by flood alerts.

    For context, flood alerts mean flooding is possible and people should be prepared, flood warnings mean it is expected and immediate action is required, while a severe flood warning means danger to life is likely.

    In Wales, six flood warnings and a further 22 flood alerts are in place. While in Scotland there are two flood warnings and eight flood alerts in place.

    The Environment Agency (EA) warns that storm Chandra has brought "significant rainfall across Devon and Cornwall overnight, falling on already saturated ground".

    For the River Otter at Ottery St Mary, the EA says the river reached its highest recorded level "surpassing the previous record set in December 2000" and they predict flooding will overtop flood defences.

  19. Second danger to life warning issued - for Upper Frome, in Dorchesterpublished at 13:39 GMT 27 January
    Breaking

    We've just received a new severe flooding danger to life warning from the Environment Agency for Upper Frome in Dorchester.

    The warning advises that "severe flooding is expected today and flood water is expected to be deep and fast flowing" in the area.

    As we've been reporting, another danger to life warning is in place for the River Otter at Ottery St Mary in south-west England.

  20. Pictures show snowfall in County Durhampublished at 13:04 GMT 27 January

    The pictures below show the snow in Middleton-in-Teesdale, in County Durham.

    The bad weather has seen the A66 closed in both directions across parts of County Durham and Cumbria, between the A67 near Bowes and the A685 near Brough.

    Snow fall in Middleton-in-Teesdale, County Durham.Image source, PA
    Snow fall in Middleton-in-Teesdale, County Durham.Image source, PA
    Snow fall in Middleton-in-Teesdale, County Durham.Image source, PA