Schools remain closed on Friday in some areas in the aftermath of Storm Ciaran, with flood alerts and weather warnings in place.
Thousands of homes were left without power after wind gusts of more than 100mph were recorded in the Channel Islands.
The Met Office described the islands as having endured “supercell thunderstorms”, with frequent lightning, large hailstones and a possible hurricane.
What happened yesterday?
The Met Office issued a “danger to life” amber weather warning before Storm Ciarán‘s 85 mph gusts battered the South with wind and rain yesterday.
With wind speeds reaching 100 mph in the channel islands, parents in Jersey have been told schools will be shut for a second day after residents said they witnessed tornado activity. However, there are currently no listed closures on the Isle of Wight.
The Environment Agency had issued 30 flood warnings and 107 flood alerts across England as of Wednesday evening after over 400 schools were closed.
Today, some schools remain closed and partially closed after the storm wreaked havoc on infrastructure across the South Coast and the Channel.
Here is everything you need to know.
Where have schools closed?
Schools in Jersey will remain closed today and eight schools in Suffolk have been forced to shut their doors due to safety concerns after localised flooding.
- Cavendish Church of England Primary School
- Hundon Community Primary School
- Kersey Church of England Primary School
- Riverwalk School
- Sir Robert Hitcham Church of England Voluntary Aided School, Debenham
- Stour Valley Community School
- Thurlow Church of England (VC) Primary School
- Worlingworth Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
Over 50 schools in Southampton closed yesterday but announced that they would re-open today. Their council website should give the latest updates.
At least six schools in Hampshire remain closed today as reports of unprecedented flooding and water outages mean schools cannot open safely.
- William Gilpin Church of England Primary School
- Manor Church of England Infant School
- Marchwood Church of England Infant School
- Marchwood Junior school
- Waterside Primary School
- Hythe Primary School
In Dorset the only current listed closure is Loders CE VC Primary School, Bridport. The longer list of schools closed yesterday are now listed as un-disrupted.
In East Sussex there is one confirmed closure of ARK Blacklands Primary Academy, Hastings as it has lost power and electricity.
When will we know more?
Updates are expected to pour in today as people wake up to the devastation the extreme weather has left behind. Today the tail of the storm moves north, and The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings for rain across parts of Scotland and northern and southern England.
Councils are advising parents in other parts of the South to check individual school websites for the latest updates regarding any potential closures. Each council is updating their website as the day goes on so you can check there for more information. For more information you can also visit gov.uk.
