Storm Pia weather tracker: map shows when and where winds are set to batter UK as Met Office issues yellow warning

• Storm Pia has sparked chaos – with 21-hour warning in place until 9pm tonight 
• Check to see how badly your area will be affected by Storm Pia hitting the UK

Severe gale-force winds are set to continue striking across Britain today as Storm Pia wreaks havoc across the UK.

Britons are braced for a travel nightmare just before Christmas as 600-mile wide Storm Pia sweeps the nation with 80mph gusts and a ‘danger to life’ warning. 

The storm, named by the Danish Meteorological Institute, came on at around midnight last night with a 21-hour Met Office wind warning imposed until 9pm later tonight. 

The alert covers the whole of Scotland and North Wales as well as parts of East Anglia, the Midlands and northern England – with the strongest winds expected over and to the east of higher ground, mainly across the north of the warning area.

Will your local area be affected by Storm Pia? How long are adverse weather conditions expected to last? Read on below for a full weather tracker and map of where Storm Pia will be most potent across the UK.

Storm Debi UK weather tracker 

The Met Office reported from their X account earlier today at 12.30pm: ‘It will continue to be quite blustery this afternoon with scattered showers – these locally heavy and falling as sleet over Scottish hills.’

READ MORE: Britain descends into travel chaos just days before Christmas: Euston station SHUTS, Eurostar trains are cancelled and dozens of BA flights are grounded as Storm Pia’s 80mph gales and strike action plunge country into mayhem

The highest wind gust today was 113mph recorded at the Cairn Gorm mountain summit at 3am, followed by 96mph observed at Bealach na Bà in the western Highlands at 9am. In third was 81mph, recorded at Baltasound in Shetland at 8am.

Met Office chief meteorologist Paul Gundersen said: ‘From late Wednesday into Thursday, strong winds are likely to develop across a large area of the UK.

‘We’ve issued a large yellow warning area where there’s a potential for some impacts, but gusts of 50 to 60mph are possible for large parts of central and northern areas of the UK.

‘Exposed coasts and high ground could see gusts of 70-80mph at times, mainly across the far north of Scotland.

‘There’s a chance this low pressure will continue to exert its influence into Friday, so it’s important to stay up to date with the latest Met Office forecast.’

He added that the system had been named Storm Pia by the Danish Met Service, because the system is likely to have more severe impacts in Denmark.

Conditions will remain unsettled this weekend, with further Atlantic frontal systems bringing rain and strong winds in.

Storm Pia UK weather map 

The Met Office have issued a large yellow warning area where there’s a potential for some impacts, but gusts of 50 to 60mph are possible for large parts of central and northern areas of the UK

The highest wind gust today was 113mph recorded at the Cairn Gorm mountain summit at 3am, followed by 96mph observed at Bealach na Bà in the western Highlands at 9am

Severe gale-force winds are set to continue striking across Britain today as Storm Pia wreaks havoc across the UK

The storm, named by the Danish Meteorological Institute, came on at around midnight last night with a 21-hour Met Office wind warning imposed until 9pm later tonight

Rain is expected to be heaviest in the West and North West through the weekend, with any snow ‘most likely confined to high ground in northern Scotland

Conditions will remain unsettled this weekend, with further Atlantic frontal systems bringing rain and strong winds in

Rain is expected to be heaviest in the West and North West through the weekend, with any snow ‘most likely confined to high ground in northern Scotland’, the Met Office said. Some central and eastern areas of the UK should remain mostly dry.

Looking further ahead to Christmas Day, the Met Office said there are still some uncertainties in the details of the forecast.

Mr Gundersen added: ‘Christmas Day looks like being fairly unsettled in northern and western areas. Any showers in the north could be wintry with hail and thunder, but even here, any snow will be mainly on high ground.

‘The south of the country will see the best of the drier and brighter conditions. While temperatures will be near normal for the time of year it will be a windy day for many meaning it will feel colder.

‘Beyond Christmas Day further rain or showers and strong winds are likely for many, and again any sleet and snow will be mainly over the hills of Scotland, as is often the case in December. Further details will be available closer to the time.’

Towards the New Year, conditions are expected to remain unsettled with low pressure bringing breezy and wet conditions for many, although there will be drier and brighter interludes.

It comes as the Police Service of Northern Ireland warned people on the roads to be aware of the potential for falling trees and debris today.

A statement said: ‘Road users are advised of potential traffic disruption this morning, caused by fallen trees and debris in some areas across Northern Ireland.

A large tree blown down during Storm Pia winds on Spital Road in Wirral, as more fallen trees were reported across Derbyshire and South Yorkshire

The A435 in Cirencester has been completely blocked buy a fallen tree Brought down in the strong winds from storm Pia

https://youtube.com/watch?v=49k-21Is5N8%3Frel%3D0

Avanti West Coast passengers were disrupted because of electric wire damage in two separate sections – one between Watford Junction and London Euston and the other, a bag caught in cables between Stoke-on-Trent and Crewe. 

ScotRail has cancelled all trains on seven routes tomorrow due to the storm, including Inverness to Aberdeen, Wick, Kyle of Lochalsh, Dingwall and Elgin; and Glasgow to Oban and Mallaig. Speed restrictions could also follow on other lines.

‘Officers have been assisting with traffic control whilst local roads are being cleared of any obstructions, and we thank you for your patience as we continue to do so.’ 

Fallen trees were reported across Derbyshire and South Yorkshire, while residents of Nottinghamshire said shed roofs had been taken off and brick walls blown over. 

Flights were filmed struggling to land at Birmingham and Manchester airports, and Ryanair warned passengers of ‘potential disruptions’ today due to the strong winds.

British Airways axed dozens of domestic and European flights at London Heathrow, including links to and from Amsterdam, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

All traffic was stopped on a stretch of the M60 at junction ten at Barton Bridge in Greater Manchester this morning after a lorry overturned in strong winds.

The storm impacts could also be felt into tomorrow’s getaway on the last working day before Christmas when The AA has activated an ‘amber traffic warning’ amid estimates of 16.1million car journeys.

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