RED weather warning issued in North Somerset

This weather is expected to cause significant disruption, which could include:

Danger to life, caused by falling trees and flying debrisWaves and beach material being thrown onto coastal roads, seafronts and homesPower cuts affecting other services, such as mobile phone coverageDamage to buildings and homesRoads, bridges and railway lines closed, with delays and cancellations to busses, trains and flights.

To stay safe, please:

Don’t visit our parks, seafronts or open spaces while the AMBER and RED weather warnings are in place.Avoid travelling by road during potentially dangerous conditions, as it’s not safe to drive.Beware of large waves. In an emergency, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.Stay indoors if possible, to avoid risk of injury.If it’s safe to do so, check for loose items outside your house and secure them. This could include Christmas decorations, bins and garden furniture.Prepare for power cuts by considering gathering torches and batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essential items.Keep up to date with the weather forecast for your area, and follow advice from emergency services and the council.

Councillor Mike Solomon, North Somerset Council’s executive member who is responsible for seafronts, parks and lakes operational management, said: “We urge everyone to follow the safety advice so you can keep yourself and those around you safe during the weekend’s red weather warning. 

“Stay indoors if you can, and please don’t come to our parks, open spaces or seafronts this weekend – your safety is more important. 

“Make sure you’re prepared for possible power cuts by having torches and batteries to hand, as well as other essential items. Make sure your mobiles are charged before Saturday. 

“We aren’t providing our Community Meals service on Saturday. The Christmas market and evening concert at Somerset Hall have been cancelled. We will also be closing our non-essential services, including libraries (and Extended Access at libraries), Household Waste and Recycling Centres (HWRCs), The Campus and public conveniences, on Saturday. 

“We’re also preparing for the extremely strong winds by making sure that extra tree surgery teams will be available over the weekend, to handle fallen trees and debris. We’ll be closing the seafront gates too.  

“It’s likely that events will be cancelled this weekend because of the weather, so if you have made plans then do check they are still happening in advance. 

"We've also activated our Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) for people sleeping rough. The SWEP means we take necessary steps to make sure all those people we know to be sleeping rough can access shelter if it's believed they're at risk due to sleeping rough during severe weather. Anyone verified as sleeping rough in North Somerset will be able to access emergency shelter from today, and we work with Somewhere to Go to provide emergency shelter and support at their premises on the Boulevard in Weston-super-Mare."

“Please be careful after the weekend when you come back to our parks and open spaces. If you spot any problems such as debris or fallen trees, please report them immediately on our website at https://n-somerset.gov.uk/report-or-request-it. We’ll aim to clear obstructions as soon as we can.”

Follow the Met Office for more updates: https://weather.metoffice.gov.uk/warnings-and-advice/uk-warnings#?date=2024-12-06 

Follow our Emergency Management page for more updates: https://n-somerset.gov.uk/my-services/community-safety-crime/emergency-management