Storm Darragh (6–7 Dec 2024): 96 mph gusts, Wales, SW England, NI & more

The Met Office named Storm Darragh on 5 December 2024, the fourth named storm of the 2024/25 season. Its worst effects were on 6–7 December, with disruption lasting into the 8th. On 6 December the Met Office issued a red wind warning for west Wales and both coasts of the Bristol Channel, valid 03:00–11:00 on Saturday 7 December. It was the first UK red warning since Storm Isha in January 2024. About three million phones received a government emergency alert, the largest use of the system so far. Amber warnings covered Northern Ireland, the Irish Sea coasts of Scotland and north-west England, most of Wales and south-west England. Met Éireann put seven counties under red warnings: Donegal, Sligo, Galway, Mayo, Wicklow, Clare and Leitrim.

The highest UK gusts were 96mph at Berry Head (Devon), 93mph at Capel Curig and 92mph at Aberdaron. Ireland's highest was 141km/h (87mph) at Mace Head, Co Galway. More than 2.3 million UK customers lost power at some point, including over 46,000 premises in Northern Ireland. In Ireland about 395,000 ESB customers were without power at the peak.

Two men in the UK died when trees fell on their vehicles, one in Longton (Lancashire) and one in Erdington (Birmingham). Dyfed-Powys Police declared a major incident. Most rail services in Wales stopped, the M48 Severn Bridge closed, and airports in south Wales closed during the red warning.

Sources: Met Office (Storm Darragh named, December 2024 monthly summary, UK storm season 2024/25 table); Met Éireann (Storm Darragh report); BBC News; ESB Networks.