The impact of Storm Darragh has forced a popular Christmas to close for tomorrow (Saturday, December 7). Bath Christmas Market will be shut as large parts of the country is set to be battered by high winds and heavy rain.
A rare red warning for wind, which warns of significant disruption and a “danger to life”, has been issued by forecasters as Storm Darragh hits the UK. The warning covers parts of Wales and the South West of England, including Cardiff, Bristol and Devon, and is in place from 3am to 11am on Saturday.
Forecasters at the Met Office have said winds of up to 90mph are likely in the morning. Organisers of the Bath Christmas Market have taken the decision to not to open Bath Christmas Market tomorrow, Saturday 7 December to avoid any potential damage to people and property from the temporary market infrastructure, reports SomersetLive.
A statement said: “We take the safety of the public, stall holders and our staff seriously with this in mind and the Met Office forecast of winds exceeding 70mph from Storm Darragh we have taken the decision not to open Bath Christmas Market tomorrow, Saturday 7 December. This is to avoid any potential damage to people and property from the temporary market infrastructure.
“We are sorry for any inconvenience this causes but safety as to be our first priority – we look forward to seeing everyone back when we reopen.”
A BANES spokesperson added: “Due to Storm Darragh & the forecasted high winds Bath Christmas Market will not open tomorrow. We’re sorry for any inconvenience but safety is our number one priority for everyone. It’s business as usual for the rest of the city.”
Met Office Chief Forecaster, Jason Kelly, said: “The worst impacts from Storm Darragh will be felt as we go through the early hours of tomorrow morning and throughout Saturday with, in addition to the broad yellow warning, red and amber wind warnings in place from 1 am tomorrow. In the red warning area, we could see wind gusts of up to 90 miles per hour along the coasts of west and south Wales as well as funnelling through the Bristol Channel, with some very large waves on exposed beaches.
“Although there is a lower likelihood of impacts outside of the red and amber warning areas this doesn’t mean you won’t see them. We are likely to see impacts across the whole of the country and people should keep an eye on the latest forecast details and prepare for the bad weather, especially if planning to be out and about on Saturday. Some areas are likely to have a relatively quiet start to Saturday, weather-wise, but winds will quickly increase from the west through the day”
RED WARNING
The red warning is in place from 3am until 11am tomorrow, Saturday, December 7. It covers the northern coasts of Somerset, including Minehead, Weston-super-Mare and Highbridge
AMBER WARNING
The amber warning is in place from 1am until 9pm tomorrow, Saturday, December 7. It covers the whole of the area covered by the red warning, plus the western part of Somerset, including Taunton, Bridgwater, Wells, Chard, Glastonbury and Ilminster.
YELLOW WARNING
The yellow warning is in place from 3pm today until 6am on Sunday, December 8. It covers the whole of Somerset.
Dale Hipkiss, Duty Manager at National Highways, said: “If you’re planning to drive over the next few days, prepare in advance for the journey and take extra care on the roads. If weather conditions become challenging, adjust your driving behaviour to manage the conditions as safely as possible. It’s also a good idea for drivers to check their vehicles, such as tyres, coolant and oil levels, before heading out to reduce the risk of breakdowns.”