The Met Office is warning of severe adverse weather in Somerset over the next 24 hours.
- A Red warning for wind is in place from 3am to 11am on Saturday for north coastal regions of county, with wind speeds up to 90 mph possible. Red is the highest level of alert and means there is possible danger to life.
- An Amber warning is in place from 1am-9pm Saturday across all of Somerset, with wind speeds of up to 60-65 mph.
Police are advising essential travel only in Red and Amber areas. If you have to travel, please leave more time and check National Highways and Somerset Council social media channels for the latest on road closures.
Some rain is also expected this evening – it is not expected to be extreme. There is currently one flood warning in place for Curry Moor and Hay Moor on the Levels and a number of alerts in place, but it is possible this may change over the weekend.
Check here to monitor the situation in your area.
A Government SMS warning will be issued later this evening to phone in affected areas, signposting to weather warnings.
Situation overview
- High winds over much of the county are likely to disrupt travel and could cause damage, notably from fallen trees.
- Police have issued an ‘essential travel only’ message for areas that have either an amber or red warning in place.
- Coastal areas are likely to be most affected.
- The Council’s Adult Social Care team is liaising with the Emergency Planning Response and Recovery unit
- Contingencies Unit to ensure any necessary steps are taken to safeguard vulnerable people.
- Many events are being cancelled, including markets in Frome and Wells.
- Blenheim Gardens in Minehead will be closed on Saturday morning as a safety precaution. We will review the situation and reopen once it is safe to do so,
- Highways gangs are on standby over the weekend to deal with any issues.
- Communications have been shared across social media channels throughout this afternoon, providing safety advice (see below).
- Weather, travel and any flooding updates will be shared across the weekend if necessary.
The forecast
Severe weather is forecast from the early hours of Saturday, with high winds expected into Sunday. You can find the Met Office weekend forecast here.
Key public messages and advice
- Only travel in the Amber and Red areas if your journey is essential. If you have to travel, please leave more time and check before you travel.
- Residents should take steps to secure any outside furniture and decorations, such as Christmas decorations, this evening. Flying debris can cause injuries and damage.
- Keep aware from coastal areas. High waves are expected during the severe weather period and this can be extremely dangerous close to the shore.
- Events are being cancelled over the weekend. Please check before setting off.
- Keep an eye on weather forecasts for your area as they can change
Library services
- Minehead, Williton and Burnham-on-Sea libraries will be closed tomorrow as they are in the red weather warning zone.
- Library services have recommended the community libraries at Porlock, Watchet and Nether Stowey close as they are also in the Red Zone. Community Library Partners have been asked to inform the council if they decide to close.
- Remaining libraries to open as normal tomorrow unless: The relevant Community Library partner takes the decision to keep their community library closed; the building itself is compromised or unsafe OR the timetabled staff are unable to travel to their library.
- In all cases services will use standard Adverse Weather procedures and ensure relevant comms are displayed on its website and social media outlets.
Flooding and roads – key information
Some rain is also expected this evening. There is currently one flood warning in place for Curry Moor and Hay Moor on the Levels and a number of alerts in place, but it is possible this may change over the weekend.
Heavy rain and flooding present a potential danger to drivers – road users are urged NOT to attempt to drive across flooded roads as it is not possible to estimate the depth of the water reliably.
It’s vital to prepare for wet conditions if you have to travel and to proceed with extreme caution if you get caught in flood conditions – you can find information and advice here:
Adverse weather conditions (somersetroadsafety.org)
If you spot a problem with a drain or gully, or any issue on the highway you can report it easily and quickly here:
Report a problem on the road (somerset.gov.uk).
What to do during a flood
There is information to help you on what to do during a flood on the Somerset Prepared website. The key point is to always stay safe, in an immediate flood emergency or where there is a risk to life, follow the advice of the emergency services.
How to report
We’re encouraging people to get in touch if they are affected by flooding. Anyone who has experienced property flooding can report it online: