105mph Wind Recorded as Gales Batter Britain

A man walks through the sandstorm at the Swansea seafront
in south Wales on 12 February 2014

THE GUARDIAN: Wales hit by record wind speed as Thames is set to rise to highest level in 60 years

Strong winds continued to batter the UK on Wednesday, causing disruption to road and rail networks and leaving 21,000 people without power.

A top wind speed of 105mph was recorded in Aberdaron in north-west Wales, and Western Power Distribution said electricity supplies had been hit in south Wales, the south-west and the west Midlands. Gusts of 92mph have already been recorded in the Mumbles on the Gower Peninsula, south-west Wales, the weather forecaster Meteogroup said.

Clifton suspension bridge in Bristol was briefly closed for the first time in its history, and the storms have also brought a number of trees down. Coastal areas could also be battered by large waves, the Met Office said.

The Environment Agency warned that the Thames was set to rise in places to its highest levels in more than 60 years, causing severe disruption to communities in Windsor, Maidenhead and Surrey. » | Haroon Siddique, Matthew Weaver and agencies | Wednesday, February 12, 2014

UK Floods: Homes Evacuated as Swollen Thames Keeps Rising

BBC: Flooded homes along the River Thames are being evacuated and thousands more are at risk, with water levels expected to keep rising for the next 24 hours.

Fourteen severe flood warnings are in place in Berkshire and Surrey, while two remain in Somerset.

Duncan Kennedy reports. (+ BBC video) » | Monday, February 10, 2014