Storm Arwen: Pictures Which Sum Up The Chaos Caused By The Intense Weather

The storm has left homes in northern England without power for multiple nights in a row.
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Above: Stormy seas at the breakwater on the Headland, Hartlepool, County Durham as Storm Arwen batters the north east coast. This photo was taken on Saturday, November 27.

The UK was rocked by Storm Arwen over the weekend, killing three people and leaving thousands without power for three nights in a row.

On Tuesday prime minister Boris Johnson said: “I am extremely sympathetic to everyone who suffered these power outages. It must be appalling.”

He said that while electricity had been restored to the majority of homes, it was not yet “good enough” as thousands are still without power.

“I want to reassure everyone that we’re working as hard as we can to get power back to these homes. All I can say is that these gusts were going at 100mph,” he continued.

Rainfall broke records and the Northern Powergrid said the storm had caused the most damage seen in the last two decades.

Some parts in northern England also experienced the coldest autumn night of 2021 over the weekend, as the temperature dropped to below zero during the peak of the storm.

The lowest temperature was recorded in Cumbria, according to the Met Office, as it experienced -8.7 degrees Celsius.

Around 100 extra engineers rushed to help but 29,000 were still without electricity on Monday.

Some homes in Northumberland had no water either.

With phone lines down and trees blocking various roads, there are fears residents would not be able to call for help so the police, fire departments, mountain rescue and British Red Cross have been trying to reach people who may be stranded.

Approximately 60 people were trapped in the Yorkshire Dales’ Tan Hill Inn for three nights after heavy snow fall, although a few were able to leave in their robust 4x4s.

It was only when a snow plough managed to reach them that the remaining guests were able to get out of the Bed and Breakfast after it was covered in 3ft of snow on Saturday.

Spain was seriously impacted by the storm too, with more than half of the country put on alert for weather warnings.

Here are some of the most dramatic pictures summarising the weekend’s weather.

CARL RECINE via REUTERS

Snow covers houses in the village of Keele after Storm Arwen, Keele, Staffordshire, pictured on Monday, November 29.

Owen Humphreys - PA Images via PA Images via Getty Images

Building work pictured after it falls onto a nearby car in Sunderland, after gusts of almost 100 miles per hour battered some areas of the UK, pictured on Saturday, November 27.

Owen Humphreys - PA Images via PA Images via Getty Images

A fallen tree in New York in North Tyneside after Storm Arwen wreaked havoc across much of the UK at the weekend, bringing strong winds, sleet and snow – pictured on Monday November 29.

Jacob KingPA

Snowed-in businesses on the A53 close to Buxton in Derbyshire, amid freezing conditions in the aftermath of Storm Arwen, photographed on Sunday November 28.

Danny LawsonPA

A man digs out a car from snow in High Green in the Yorkshire Dales, amid freezing conditions in the aftermath of Storm Arwen, pictured on Sunday November 28.

Owen HumphreysPA

A lorry blown over in high winds blocks the A179 near Hartlepool, County Durham, after gusts of almost 100 miles per hour battered some areas of the UK during Storm Arwen, photographed on Saturday, November 27.

Owen HumphreysPA

Huge waves crash against the lighthouse in Seaham Harbour, County Durham, in the tail end of Storm Arwen which saw gusts of almost 100 miles per hour battering areas of the UK, photographed on Saturday, November 27.

Europa Press News via Europa Press via Getty Images

It’s not just the UK that suffered under Arwen; flooding of the Kadagua River was caught on camera as it passes through the Spanish municipality of Alonsotegi, pictured on Sunday, 28 November, 2021.

A total of 31 Spanish provinces were put under different levels of risk for snow, rain, wind, heavy swell, thaw and minimum temperatures.

Europa Press News via Europa Press via Getty Images

A house flooded due to heavy rains in Ampuero, Cantabria, Spain.

Cantabria is one of the most affected regions and has recorded hundreds of emergency calls after flooding in homes and the overflowing of several rivers.

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