Storm Dave Hits UK Travel but Set to Ease Easter Sunday

Published: 05 April 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

Storm Dave has caused widespread disruption to road and rail travel across the UK, with flood warnings still in place in several regions, though conditions are beginning to ease on Easter Sunday. Yellow wind warnings covering Scotland, north-west Wales, and parts of northern England were lifted on Sunday morning after blustery conditions overnight.

Scotland currently has three flood warnings and eight alerts, England one warning and 23 alerts, and Wales three alerts. The Met Office forecasts the storm will clear by Sunday afternoon, bringing a mix of sunshine and showers, particularly heavy and blustery in the north.

Overnight, an amber wind alert warning of potential danger to life from flying debris in northern England, north-west Wales, and southern Scotland was lifted. Gusts of up to 93mph were recorded in Capel Curig, Wales, and 73mph in Buchan, Aberdeenshire. Several bridges faced traffic restrictions, including the Forth and Tyne Road Bridges in Scotland, while the Tay Road Bridge was open only to cars with a 30mph limit. The Humber Bridge in Yorkshire, temporarily closed, has since reopened.

Rail services remain impacted. ScotRail continues to operate with emergency speed restrictions, and Network Rail Manchester is running replacement bus services between Manchester Piccadilly and Chester due to overnight storm conditions. Durham’s Riverside cricket ground was also affected, delaying the third day of play in a County Championship Division Two match between Durham and Kent.

While strong winds persist across Scotland, Northern Ireland, and northern England, southern areas will experience sunshine and showers with cooler temperatures than Saturday. Monday is expected to see highs of 10-15C (50-59F), with Tuesday possibly reaching 20C in parts of England and Wales.

Some ferry services in western Scotland were cancelled or amended, and rain, sleet, and hill snow were reported. Up to 30cm of snow fell in parts of the country where a yellow warning had been in place until early Sunday. Coastal areas impacted by the amber wind warning could have seen gusts of up to 80mph before the warning expired.

In Northern Ireland, some council facilities remained closed, and visitors were advised to avoid parks and nature reserves. The Energy Networks Association warned of potential damage to local power infrastructure, including power cuts and fallen lines, with staff and equipment deployed to the worst-affected areas.

Despite the disruptions, forecasters expect conditions to improve as Storm Dave passes, allowing travel and outdoor activities to resume safely.