Barra weather warning for boroughs

By Connor Steel

RESIDENTS AND COMMJTERS have been warned of potential disruption as bad weather hits Hampshire starting on Tuesday morning, with the arrival of Storm Barra prompting two yellow wind warnings covering Gosport and Fareham lasting until Wednesday evening.

Barra, the second named storm of the winter, will hit the UK and Ireland overnight before moving eastwards; with heavy rain expected across Hampshire starting from approximately midday after a dry clear morning according to Met Office and BBC Weather short-range forecasts.

This has led the Environmental Agency to issue flood alerts across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, with higher tides than normal expected due to the rain. These include Hillhead to Gosport and Fareham to Portchester either side of tide times although property flooding is not expected.

But this area of low pressure will further bring gusty winds of between 50mph and 60mph through the day on Tuesday lasting nearly 36 hours across the country, with particular concerns for coastal boroughs such as Gosport and Fareham as two individual warnings have been put in place.

According to the Met Office there is a small chance that injuries could occur from large waves alongside beach material being blown in the direction of properties, coastal roads, and sea fronts. Other debris such as roof tiling, trees and garden props could also cause problems.

Likelier is the impact on commuters using roads or public transport links, which could be affected at any point due to flooding or wind-related issues. Drivers are warned that some roads or bridges may close alongside the potential for slower traffic as others slow down adapting to conditions.

Buses, trains, and ferries could furthermore occur as a result of bad weather; longer journey times, delays and even cancellations are expected over the next two days. If commuters are concerned, they should check their travel plans before leaving and only travel if essential.

This latest weather forecast comes just ten days after Storm Arwen, which brought heavy gusts of winds and touching 70mph that weekend. It resulted in the cancellation of the Gosport Christmas Lights Switch-on event alongside disruption to many roads in Hampshire due to flooding and fallen trees.

Readers can follow live updates and information through the Met Office website, or check regular forecasts on TV and official weather channels.