Storm Dave brought significant disruptions across the northern parts of the UK, causing travel chaos and leaving homes without power due to heavy snow and strong winds. The Met Office reported gusts reaching 93mph at Capel Curig in North Wales, while winds of 75mph were recorded at Emley Moor in West Yorkshire and St Bees Head in Cumbria. A wind speed of 73mph was also noted at Buchan in Aberdeenshire.
In Scotland, some properties lost power as a result of the high winds overnight. Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) deployed fault response teams to restore electricity to a small number of affected customers, primarily in Skye, Caithness, and coastal areas of Aberdeenshire.
Snowfall was reported in Skye and other parts of western Scotland, including Inverclyde. Glasgow experienced snow late in the morning on Easter Sunday, with snow flurries observed in central Scotland. Several Caledonian MacBrayne ferry services along Scotland’s west coast faced disruptions due to the weather, and motorists encountered challenges from fallen trees blocking roads.
Major bridges in Scotland, such as the Queensferry Crossing and the Forth Road Bridge near Edinburgh, had restrictions in place due to the high winds. Speed limits were imposed, leading to delays for ScotRail passengers. Network Rail replaced trains between Manchester Piccadilly and Chester with buses to manage the disruption.
In Dublin, pilots struggled with challenging conditions during the blustery weather, resulting in the cancellation of 17 flights. This caused further travel disruptions into the Bank Holiday weekend as crews were displaced.
The amber weather warning remained in effect until 3am on Sunday, with the Met Office issuing a warning of “severe gales” that could bring flying debris and large waves, posing risks of injury and danger to life. Three yellow warnings across northern England, Scotland, and Wales were initially set to remain in place until midday on Easter Sunday but were lifted by around 7.30am as the weather improved.
Met Office spokesperson Marco Petagna stated: “The winds eased down a bit more quickly than forecast across Scotland, northern England, and Wales. Storm Dave is pulling away, and the warnings are easing more quickly than forecast, so the yellow warnings were no longer warranted.” There are currently no weather warnings in place for this week.
The Met Office’s forecast for Easter Sunday indicated that Storm Dave would move northeast on Sunday morning, leaving sunshine and widespread showers across the UK. Northern areas would experience the heaviest blustery showers and feel colder, while temperatures elsewhere would remain closer to average for early April.
As of 9pm on Sunday, there was one flood warning and 16 flood alerts in place in England, while those in Scotland and Wales had been lifted.
Weekend weather forecast:
Sunday:
Cloud, rain, and hill snow across the far North East will clear, with winds continuing to ease. Sunny spells and blustery showers are expected for many, but southern areas may stay dry. It will be chilly.
Monday:
Winds will ease as Storm Dave clears into the North Sea on Sunday. Blustery showers will continue across Scotland and Northern Ireland, while much of England and Wales will become fine.
Easter Monday will be the driest day of the Easter weekend, with a ridge of high pressure in the wake of Storm Dave bringing a more settled day. Most areas will see some sunny spells after a chilly night.
