Storm Isha Sweeps Britain With Powerful Winds, Disrupting Travel

A powerful storm was moving away from Britain on Monday morning after battering the country overnight with a top gust of wind of 99 m.p.h, according to the Met Office, the country’s weather service, which said that a yellow warning would remain in effect until midday.

“It is rather unusual in bringing impacts to most of the U.K.,” said Grahame Madge, a spokesman for the weather service, which called the event Storm Isha.

The yellow weather warning is used when people are at risk from certain weather because of their location or activity, and it advises the public “to take preventative action,” according to the meteorological office’s website.

Late on Sunday night, the Met Office issued a red wind warning for overnight covering the northeast coast of Scotland and advised people not to use the roadways. A red warning advises the public to expect “a short spell of extremely strong winds leading to danger to life, structural damage and disruption.”

Wind gusts between 73 miles per hour and 90 m.p.h. were recorded on Sunday, the weather office said.

“In part, this system has been invigorated by the cold plunge in the east of North America,” said Mr. Madge, adding that the weather pattern “has created a very strong jet, which is helping and propel areas of low pressure, such as Storm Isha, across the North Atlantic.”

Strong winds were also expected on Tuesday evening and Wednesday, and could lead to more travel disruptions.

Dublin Airport in Ireland said that 114 flights had been canceled and 36 flights were diverted to other airports because of the weather on Sunday.

Manchester Airport in England also advised passengers to check with their airlines for any changes resulting from the high winds.

“Injuries and danger to life could occur from large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties,” the Met Office said.

Met Éireann, Ireland’s meteorological service, also issued amber wind warnings for Sunday and Monday, with a status red storm warning covering coastal areas in the north of the country.

The service said that the storm was bringing “very strong” and “gusty southwesterly winds countrywide with strong gales” as well as high waves along coasts.

The service also said that “a status red severe weather warning is rarely issued but when it is, people in the areas expected to be affected should take action to protect themselves and/or their properties.”

The Tornado and Storm Research Organisation, which tracks severe weather, issued a tornado watch in Ireland and parts of northern Britain as the storm trekked across the region on Sunday.

Because of the weather conditions, Network Rail Scotland suspended service on Sunday and lines were to remain closed on Monday.

“Our weather specialists confirm the forecast has worsened, with a high likelihood of damage to Scotland’s Railway,” the service said.

Southeastern, a rail service that connects London to East Sussex, said several of its lines were disrupted, prompting some stops to be skipped.

Nearly 7,000 homes were without power on late Sunday night in England and Wales, according to National Grid. In Ireland, more than 170,000 homes, farms and businesses were without power on Sunday evening as the storm moved across the country, according to electric provider ESB Networks. In Northern Ireland, roughly 45,000 customers were without power.

Britain has had exceptional winter weather this season. Torrential rains that swept across parts of England this month prompted a wave of weather alerts and travel disruptions. Hundreds of flood alerts were also issued for various communities and rivers.

Orlando Mayorquin and Claire Moses contributed reporting.