West London was hit by some of the strongest winds overnight as Storm Eleanor ripped across the country causing damage to trees and property.
Heavy rainfall and strong winds ravaged the capital late on Tuesday (January 2) and continued through the early hours of Wednesday, with gusts reaching a maximum of 73mph in Northolt.
The recorded figure was the seventh highest in the country and resulted in fallen trees across west London and caused delays to the Piccadilly and Metropolitan lines.
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Blisteringly cold weather is yet to come
Despite the relentless night we had, there is more bad weather set to come our way.
It will continue to be wet and windy through the week before a cold snap sends the mercury plummeting down to as low as -10 C in parts of Scotland.
A spokesperson for The Weather Channel said:
Frequent and heavy showers will affect many western areas, sometimes moving inland, being replaced by longer periods of rain as new sets of frontal systems move in from the Atlantic.
Snow will mostly be limited to mid to high levels in the north, while there will also be a threat of flooding in many areas due partly to the saturated ground.From Thursday, the weather will settle down, with temperatures dropping.”
Can you get compensation for your awful journey to work?
If your train was cancelled this morning or delayed by more than 15 minutes, you are entitled to compensation.
Here’s more advice from Hannah on how you can claim:
If bad weather means your train is cancelled make sure you get a full refund. If it’s delayed by more than 15 minutes you could claim compensation too so be sure to submit a claim.
Thanks to the Delay Repay scheme most train companies will compensate you even if bad weather is to blame.”
What to do if your home was damaged in Storm Eleanor
If your home was damaged during Storm Eleanor, you need to get in touch with your buildings insurance provider immediately.
Here is advice from Hannah Maundrell, Editor of money.co.uk:
If your home has been hit by storm damage your insurer should step up. Speak to them ASAP as they may need you to take emergency steps to minimise the devastation until they can process your claim and sort proper repairs.
Take photos of the damage and note down the time it took place so your insurer can tally this up with weather reports. When you make your claim submit ‘before’ photos if you have them proving the state of your property before Eleanor hit.
It’s the buildings insurance part of your policy that will pay out so if you’re a homeowner with contents-only cover you could be left footing the bill.
If you’re a tenant speak to your landlord who will need to make a claim on their insurance or cover the cost of any damages.
Tree on the track at Ickenham
If you faced delays on the Piccadilly line earlier this morning, it may well ave been due to the tree that fell on the track at Ickenham.
That caused severe delays between Uxbridge and Acton Town.
The tree has now been cleared.
The stunning grounds of Fulham Palace have been closed to the public today as the heavy winds are expected to continue.
The cafe and palace itself are still open to visitors.
Hillingdon Police warning
Police in Hillingdon warn there are “many trees down across the borough” and advise caution from people travelling around this morning
This is how the storm developed
West London was battered by the storm throughout the night, but this is how it progressed across the country.
Firefighters out in action on Oxford Street
The London Fire Brigade were called out to New Oxford Street after sheeting from scaffolding began to come apart and fly in the heavy gusts.
Another fallen tree
Here is another fallen tree, in Acton which has ruined this driver’s morning commute.
Central London not spared
Even central London was hit by heavy winds last night as these barriers down on Bressenden Place, near Buckingham Palace, show.
They have now been removed from the road.
Stanmore road closure
Common Road in Stanmore is closed while the council remove a large tree which fell during Storm Eleanor
West London one of the windiest spots
The Met Office recorded winds as high as 73mph at Northolt at midnight on Tuesday (January 2).
Northolt ranked at 7 in the most windy places in the country according to Met Office records.
Great Dun Fell in the Pennines had the highest recorded winds overnight, topping 100mph.
Storm Eleanor
The latest storm to hit the UK this winter, Storm Eleanor, brought with it gusts of over 70 miles per hour and cause significant disruption.
