Following Storm Henk, widespread travel disruptions persist in the UK with hundreds of flood alerts in place.
The aftermath of Storm Henk has left its mark on England, where approximately 10,000 homes are currently without power due to fallen trees and scaffolding.
Tuesday saw intense winds and heavy rainfall across England and Wales, recording the strongest land gust of 81mph (130km/h) at Exeter Airport in Devon.
Over 300 flood warnings were issued in England early Wednesday, including a severe warning for Billing Aquadrome in Northampton, raising concerns for life safety due to rising water levels from the River Nene.
In the West Midlands near River Severn, properties are inundated, some for the fourth time this winter, leading to extensive flooding, as reported by BBC correspondent Phil Mackie in Worcester.
A severe flood warning is also active for the River Ritec in Tenby, with residents of Kiln Park caravan site advised of limited vehicle access and reports of sewage leakage into water bodies.
Wales faces 10 flood warnings, and Scotland has one in place. The UK's rail network faced disruptions due to flooding and power failures on Tuesday, with continuing disturbances in some regions on Wednesday.
Network Rail expects disruptions in the south and south-west of England due to displaced trains and crew. Several train services were suspended or canceled, and major roads, including the A52, were closed due to flooding.
Approximately 125,000 homes have been reconnected to the grid, but around 10,000 households, mainly in central and southern England, remain without power.
Incidents related to the storm include a woman injured by a falling tree in Orpington and various structural damages, such as scaffolding collapse in Greenwich.
The storm's strongest gusts reached 94mph at the Needles Old Battery in the Isle of Wight, while Exeter Airport, Isle of Portland, and Mumbles Head also faced intense winds.
As the storm moves towards Scandinavia, the weather forecast predicts lighter winds and sunnier spells for the rest of the week. However, a high-pressure system building up might bring colder air, leading to chilly days and overnight frosts in the upcoming days.
Storm Henk, the eighth named storm in three months, arrived with short notice due to its small and early development on Tuesday morning.
While the impact of climate change on storm frequency remains uncertain, warmer sea surface temperatures are known to fuel hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons, making them more intense with extreme rainfall.
With global temperatures already risen by about 1.1C since the industrial era began, urgent emissions cuts are necessary to curb further temperature escalation. The Met Office noted that 2023 provisionally stood as the UK's second warmest year on record, following the warmest year in 2022. Human-induced activities continue to drive rising temperatures globally, resulting in intensified heatwaves and sea-level rise. Photo by Fanny Schertzer, Wikimedia commons.