UK weather: 'Tornado' and heavy rain batter much of country as Met Office releases latest forecast

People in Staffordshire village were left terrified when what seemed like a tornado tore through, sending trampolines, tiles, and even a caravan flying. The powerful winds struck Knutton, near Stoke-on-Trent, at approximately 6:30 am on Monday, leaving destruction in its wake.

Gale-force winds swept through the area, leaving residents with a mess to clean up. St Giles Road was closed off by Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service as they worked to secure homes, especially those with missing roof tiles and chimney pots.

The Met Office said it could not verify if the strong gusts in Newcastle-under-Lyme were a tornado but added that the winds forecast on Monday morning “had some potential” to create one. Stephen Dixon, Met Office spokesman, said: “Tornadoes do happen in the UK and they’re generally short-lived in nature, but around 30 a year are reported on average.

“Today there have been some reports of some particularly impactful winds. The fronts that were moving southwards this morning had some potential for some short-lived tornadoes within them, but we would need to assess the impact.”

Strong winds forced the closure of parks, bridges, and National Trust properties all around the United Kingdom. Early on Monday morning, the M48 Severn Bridge closed in both directions, forcing traffic to use the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge as a diversion.

The Humber Bridge in Yorkshire was closed to wind-sensitive vehicles, including motorbikes, tall heavy commercial vehicles, and RVs and automobiles with roof boxes. Playgrounds in Regent's Park, Greenwich Park, Hyde Park, and portions of Hampstead Heath and West Ham Park were among the many London parks that were closed.

Kew Gardens in London also made the announcement on social media that it will be closed on Monday due to bad weather. Ainsdale beach near Southport and portions of Dover Castle, two well-known tourist attractions, were also impacted and had to close.

The Met Office issued a wind warning at 6.25am on Monday, covering all of Northern Ireland, Wales, and England up to Cumbria until 10pm. Inland areas could experience gusts reaching 45mph, while exposed coastal regions might see winds up to 55mph accompanied by heavy rain showers.

When will the UK see sunshine again? Met Office forecast

According to the Met Office, Tuesday will be drier with sunny spells and scattered showers, mostly in the north and west, but also across the south and east at first. Wednesday will start off wet and is expected to continue until Thursday, with light rain spreading south. On Friday, however several areas are expected to be cloudy with winds easing as the temperature rises.