Storm Darragh Leads to Widespread Cancellations and Closures Across UK

Preparations for Storm Darragh have led to the cancellation of ferry services, closure of roads, and postponement of various events. DFDS, a ferry operator, confirmed the suspension of its routes connecting Newcastle and Amsterdam through Sunday, citing “adverse weather conditions.” Beamish Museum in County Durham is scheduled to be closed on Saturday. Among other postponed gatherings are a fireworks display in Whitehaven, Cumbria, and the Taste of Cumbria food festival located in Cockermouth. Event manager Ellie Jones stated: “Windy conditions can be highly dangerous where gazebos and marquees are concerned.” Wind gusts exceeding 90mph (144kmph) are anticipated in certain areas of the UK. The Met Office has issued a rare red wind warning for some locations, effective from the early hours of Saturday, alongside amber warnings covering England’s west coast. Storm Darragh is projected to impact the UK on the identical date that Storm Desmond struck in 2015, an event characterized as the most significant to affect Cumbria in 600 years. National Highways has previously declared that the A66 will be inaccessible in both directions between Augill Beck and Scotch Corner in Cumbria, starting at 07:00 GMT on Saturday, citing “safety reasons.” Among the Saturday football matches that have been canceled is Carlisle United’s League Two fixture against Newport County. Cumbria Police advises residents to secure unsecured items in their gardens, including bins and trampolines, and to refrain from traveling if feasible. Superintendent Matt Pearman commented: “The public can be reassured that all agencies are working together to ensure our communities have access to the help and support they may need.” He added: “But we would ask them to make themselves aware of the key contacts and ensure any vulnerable people within our communities are also aware and prepared.” In Northumberland, the Montane Cheviot Goat, a 59-mile (95km) winter ultra run traversing the Cheviot Hills, has been canceled following recommendations from mountain rescue groups. Organiser Drew Swinburne stated: “We had hoped to run it with an amended route but clearly the right thing to do now is to call it off.” A fireworks display in Whitehaven, Cumbria, has also been canceled. A spokesperson for the town’s council explained: “The wind would be just picking up as the event began.” They further noted: “We’ve checked the long-range forecast and next Thursday looked to be the best day so we’ll hold it then instead.” Bishop Auckland’s Christmas Town has similarly been canceled because of the weather conditions. Organisers commented: “This difficult decision has been made with everyone’s safety in mind.” For updates, follow BBC North East and BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.