Storm Ingrid will continue to batter Britain next week with heavy downpours and high winds set to cause disruption.
The storm, which struck Britain with 60mph gusts and activated flood alerts amid rail line shutdowns, has wreaked havoc in the South West and washed away part of a historic pier in Devon.
Huge chunks of Teignmouth Grand Pier, built in 1865, went missing after it was hit by strong waves and rain throughout Friday night.
Teignmouth mayor, Councillor Cate Williams, said it was ‘sad’ to see parts of the pier destroyed after it had ‘taken a real battering’.
The wet weather will continue this weekend for many, with yellow weather warnings for heavy rain in place across parts of South West England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
A yellow warning is in place for an area covering Somerset, Devon and Cornwall and much of south Wales until 10pm on Saturday, while separate warnings in Northern Ireland and Scotland will run until 9am on Sunday.
Some 20-40mm of rainfall is expected across most of the South West – while some exposed locations could see up to 50mm, the Met Office said, with a risk of flooding to areas battered by rain in recent days.
Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said: ‘It’s been a contrasting picture depending on where you live, but if you haven’t seen rain so far this weekend, the likelihood is that you will see some tonight or through Sunday.’
Storm Ingrid will continue to batter Britain next week with heavy downpours and high winds set to cause disruption
Huge chunks of Teignmouth Grand Pier, built in 1865, went missing after it was hit by strong waves and rain throughout Friday night
The storm, which has struck Britain with 60mph gusts and activated flood alerts amid rail line shutdowns, wreaked havoc in the South West
He added: ‘Generally, it’s a bit of a mixed picture through the next few days. We’ve got a strong jet stream powering across the north Atlantic, fuelled by a big temperature contrast across north America.
‘As it comes across the Atlantic, it gets stormy across the UK. So, unfortunately, the weather is looking very much unsettled right the way across the coming week.’
Mr Morgan said high winds could cause travel disruption and flooding in the week ahead, adding that Tuesday is likely to be a particularly blustery and wet day – and further rainfall warnings are likely.
‘There is also a small chance we will see some disruptive snow, mainly across the higher ground of northern England and Scotland on Tuesday, and so, locally, if you are travelling highland routes, that could also be problematic with snow falling,’ he said.
Storm Ingrid, as named by the Portuguese national weather service IPMA, caused chaos with powerful waves in parts of the South West on Saturday.
In the Devon coastal town of Teignmouth, part of its Victorian pier collapsed with the force of the waves.
The town’s mayor, Cate Williams, said Teignmouth had seen unusually high winds and strong waves which damaged benches, flower beds and paving stones near the seafront – as well as the historic pier.
Ms Williams said: ‘Ingrid really gave the pier a battering… it’s been quite an interesting day, everyone’s been really supportive of the town.
Storm Ingrid hits Dawlish train station on Saturday as high waves pound the train track with Devon taking the brunt of the high winds and rain
A walker clings on to a lamp post as Storm Ingrid hits Devon on Saturday
Teignmouth mayor, Councillor Cate Williams, said it was ‘sad’ to see parts of the pier destroyed after it had ‘taken a real battering’
Waves crash against South Shields Lighthouse in South Tyneside on Friday morning
Dog walkers pass strong waves hitting the coastline of Lyme Regis in Dorset on Friday afternoon
The Environment Agency has issued 13 flood warnings which remained in place across south west England at 5pm on Saturday
‘It [the pier] has worked its way through previous storms and wars and all sorts of things, but it has got a bit old and the legs and structures have been beaten by Ingrid.’
‘It’s really sad… it’s such a focal point of our town,’ she added.
The Environment Agency has issued 13 flood warnings which remained in place across south west England at 5pm on Saturday, meaning flooding is expected, while 135 flood alerts indicated flooding is possible in many parts of the country.
Major disruption to railway services in south-west England is expected to last all day on Saturday, National Rail said, as passengers face cancellations and delays.
Forecasters have also warned of ‘wintry hazards’ next week for the north and east of the UK, with the chance of snow for some places.
There is also another Met Office yellow warning for rain covering large parts of southwest England and south Wales from 6pm on Monday to 2pm on Tuesday.
