Yellow wind warning as storm batters Wales, causing flooding and power cuts

A Met Office yellow wind warning covering all of Wales remained in place until 18:00 BST on Monday as strong winds and heavy rain overnight and into the morning caused flooding, power cuts and travel disruption.

The strongest gust recorded so far reached 66 mph (106 km/h) at Aberdaron in Gwynedd, with Capel Curig in Conwy reporting 59 mph (95 km/h). Natural Resources Wales issued four flood alerts as torrential rain submerged cars on the Cwmbwrla roundabout on Carmarthen Road in Swansea and other low-lying locations experienced rapid surface water flooding.

The National Grid reported around 272 homes without power across south, mid and west Wales, with outages affecting communities including St Clears, Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil. In north Wales, SP Energy Networks said a power cut was affecting the Llanaelhaearn area of Gwynedd. Fire and rescue services reported several fallen trees and passed incidents on to local councils for clearance.

Transport links were also hit. The M48 Severn Bridge was closed and the Cleddau crossing was shut to high-sided vehicles because of the strong gusts. Local authorities advised drivers to expect delays and check for road closures before travelling.

Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said the strongest winds were expected across west Wales and north-west England on Monday morning, with conditions forecast to ease from the west later in the afternoon and into the evening. The yellow warning advised people to secure loose items in gardens and outside properties, check for delays and road closures, and take care near the coast.

Natural Resources Wales and emergency services continued to monitor river levels and surface water flooding. Councils were responding to reports of damage and disrupted supplies, and utility crews were working to restore power where it had been lost.

The Met Office issues weather warnings on a colour-coded scale to indicate the likelihood and potential impacts of adverse conditions. A yellow warning denotes that the weather could cause low-level impacts such as travel disruption, short-term loss of power and property damage from fallen branches or flying debris. Authorities advised residents in affected areas to follow guidance from local councils and emergency services as crews worked to clear roads and restore services.