Region braced for more severe gales and rain

Gusts of up to 70mph were seen in parts of the region last night, while localised flooding caused disruption, particularly in York where Rowntree Park was closed due to high river levels. The Met Office issued severe weather warnings for rain and wind in Yorkshire although the worst of the bad weather is expected to clear by this afternoon.

The public were advised to be cautious with severe gales and persistent rain predicted. Flood alerts were also issued by the Environment Agency for the river Ouse in York and the rivers Don and Sheaf in Sheffield, while some homes were left without power. Lindsay Dovey, a forecaster with MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said West Yorkshire in particular should be prepared for more weather disruption this morning.

She said: “On Thursday the winds will ease down but it will still be very blustery in the morning. It could be 50-65mph in places.

“The gusts have generally been widespread but on Thursday those will be more restricted to West Yorkshire.” Temperatures are also expected to plummet today, with the warm weather experienced over Christmas and New Year expected to make way for temperatures close to freezing. Last night, temperatures dropped no lower than 6-7C.

The rest of the country has experienced similarly difficult weather conditions. Yesterday a van driver killed when a huge beech tree crushed his parked van in high winds in Kent was named by police as married father-of-three Christopher Hayes.

According to one local, a passenger in the van escaped injury after he bent down to pick up a lighter at the point when the tree fell.

Mr Hayes, 51, died as winds of more than 100mph buffeted the country the day millions of people returned to work after the holidays.