MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

UK battered again as storms return

Areas of Britain that escaped the worst of the storms earlier this week woke up to a battering on Wednesday.

Motorists were warned to take extra care on the roads after winds gusting at up to 85mph struck Northern Ireland, North Wales, and north-west England overnight. The westerly storm front sweeping in from the North Atlantic also brought snow to high ground in northern England and southern Scotland. The Highways Agency said high ground could experience "temporary blizzard conditions" on Wednesday morning. The Met Office has issued a severe gale warning for most of the country, and says disruption to transport and power supplies is possible. The strongest winds will be in parts of north-west, north-east and eastern England, although the heavy rain will clear to leave scattered showers, forecasters predicted. The Highways Agency was reminding drivers in the north-west, particularly those of high-sided vehicles, to take note of the weather forecasts from the Met Office, which showed gusts of up to 80 miles per hour in exposed coastal areas and sections of road in the north-west of England. An Amber Alert was put in place in the north-west for lorry drivers, who were urged to closely monitor the weather and road conditions, listen out for updates on traffic and travel radio bulletins and to plan their journeys before setting off. Derek Turner, Highways Agency director of traffic operations, said: "I strongly advise road users to check the latest information on weather and road conditions before starting their journeys. "Drivers should ensure that their vehicles are topped up with fuel, in case of delays