Millions of Britons are expected to travel on Good Friday as they kick off their Easter holidays, despite disruptions caused by Storm Nelson.
The storm, named after its Spanish origin, is bringing strong winds and gusts of up to 50 mph, prompting a yellow weather warning from the Met Office. This warning covers London, the Southeast, Southwest, and East of England.
DFDS reported delays at Dover due to the storm, affecting the 2 million Brits planning to travel abroad. Additionally, Great Western Railway closed several lines on Thursday because of flooding.
The Westbury to Swindon line and the Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads route were both shut.
Heavy rain and strong winds forecasted for Good Friday, affecting travel plans nationwide.Airports are seeing high traffic, with Abta reporting that Stansted will handle 175,000 passengers, Luton 105,000, Manchester 160,000, Birmingham 79,000, and Edinburgh 89,000 over the long weekend.
Good Friday’s weather will feature a mix of sunshine and scattered showers, following recent hailstorms in Cornwall. The Met Office warns that some coastal areas could see wind gusts of 60 to 70 mph and large waves, accompanied by heavy, squally showers, potentially including hail and thunder.
In Northern Ireland, a yellow weather warning for rain predicts 15-25 mm of rainfall, with some areas possibly receiving up to 40 mm, particularly in the Antrim hills. Despite this, temperatures in the South East could reach 14°C, though isolated thunderstorms are possible.
The RAC and Inrix anticipate 2.6 million car journeys on Good Friday, with peak delays expected between 11 am and 3 pm. Key routes such as the M5 and M3 are likely to be congested.
Network Rail advises passengers to check travel details, as major routes including the West Coast Main Line between London Euston and Milton Keynes will be closed for four days starting Good Friday. VisitEngland estimates that around 11 million people will take overnight trips this Easter, boosting the economy by £3.2 billion.