Storm Brian lashed Britain yesterday with gusts of up to 80mph, causing travel misery for many families starting their half-term holidays.
However the worst is yet to come, as another 11 named storms are set to batter Britain this autumn and winter.
Weathermen are forecasting wind gusts pushing 120mph and repeated travel mayhem plus floods as the country is hit by twice as many storms as last year.
Meteorologists attribute this succession of tempests to a ‘storm factory’ brewing in the central Atlantic.
Storm Brian lashed Britain yesterday with gusts of up to 80mph (pictured: waves crash over Newhaven Lighthouse)
Waves crashed into the seafront in Porthleven, in Cornwall, as Storm Brian lashed Britain yesterday
Commercial forecaster AccuWeather believes the worst is yet to come.
The Met Office names Atlantic storms when they have the risk of an amber warning for wind, rain or snow.
After Storm Aileen, which hit last month, and Brian, the next 11 named storms would be Caroline, Dylan, Eleanor, Fionn, Georgina, Hector, Iona, James, Karen, Larry and Maeve.
Last winter, British storms got only as far as Ewan.
AccuWeather forecaster Tyler Roys said: ‘We expect an active storm period until January, with further storms until April.
‘Many storm centres are forecast to pass just north of the UK, with a battering of rain in Scotland each time they pass through. Many places will see 50-80mph gusts, with some coasts seeing gusts up to 100mph, and we may see well over 100mph on higher ground, especially in Scotland.
‘Travel disruption to roads and rail networks from fallen trees and rain flooding and coastal flooding is expected, with power lines also coming down.’
AccuWeather made its predictions after studying data for winters with similarly strong jet stream winds during the past 70 years..
A Met Office forecaster said: ‘Next weekend, a more unsettled theme seems likely, with strong winds in the North-West. In November, northern areas look most likely to see further wind and rain at times.’
Leon Brown, head of meteorological operations at The Weather Company, said: ‘A strong jet stream is forecast to see deep Atlantic depressions passing near the north of the UK.’
A tree collapsed yesterdat afternoon on a road in Shirrell Heath, Hampshire, UK. Forecasters predicted the strong winds would lead to trees and branches falling on to roads and causing delays
Flights and ferries were cancelled yesterday as Storm Brian wrecked havoc across the country.
British Airways cancelled ten flights to and from Heathrow, while Brittany Ferries scrapped eight ferry sailings, mostly to and from Plymouth and Portsmouth.
The Great South Run in Portsmouth and Southsea was cancelled.
A yellow weather warning for winds across a swathe of Britain, including Wales and southern England up to the Midlands and North West, remained in place until midnight last night.
Over the next three days the strong winds will ease and rain will gradually clear, with the weather becoming increasingly dry
Wales felt the worst of Brian’s wrath, with huge waves crashing over sea defences at Porthcawl.
A woman suffered a suspected broken ankle after being blown off her feet on 3,560ft Snowdon.
Fourteen members of Llanberis mountain rescue team went up the peak in Land Rovers before continuing on foot in the storm.
The walker was then stretchered down the path, which was ‘running like a river’ according to rescuers, put in a 4×4 vehicle, and driven to an ambulance at the bottom of the mountain. She was then taken to hospital at Bangor.