6 hours Ago By BBC
Strong winds of up to 80mph (129km/h) are expected in parts of Yorkshire on Friday, as Storm Éowyn brings disruption to the region. An amber weather warning issued by the Met Office covers large parts of the county, including areas to the north of York, and Bradford and Huddersfield in West Yorkshire. A less severe yellow warning covers the rest of the county.
Tourist attractions Castle Howard and Fountains Abbey, both in North Yorkshire, have closed for the day, while train operators have warned their services will be affected. Flights from Leeds Bradford Airport to Belfast and Dublin, where some of the worst of the gusts are expected, have also been cancelled. The A628 Woodhead Pass in South Yorkshire has been closed to all vehicles in both directions between the A616 for Flouch and the A57 at Hollingworth.
Speaking to the BBC, Dean Murray from National Highways said motorists should expect conditions to change quickly. "Take a little bit more time, even if you think it will make you a bit late, just to make sure your car is prepared and you will have a much safer journey," he said. Rail operator TransPennine Express said it would not be putting on replacement bus services for cancelled trains because the safety of passengers and staff was its "top priority".
Northern said its services between Leeds and Bradford and Leeds and Ilkley were being disrupted due to the weather, with Network Rail engineers on site. LNER has advised its passengers not to travel to stations north of York. The amber weather warning is in place until 21:00 GMT on Friday, while the yellow weather warning, which covers most of South Yorkshire, Leeds, Wakefield, York and Tadcaster, is in place until midnight.
The Met Office has advised people to prepare for potential power cuts and for those in coastal areas to be conscious of large waves during stormy weather. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds , catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here . Related internet links.
