When will Storm Franklin end? How long will this storm last in UK - weather forecast and Met Office warnings

Storm Franklin has sparked evacuations in parts of the UK and caused widespread rush-hour travel disruption, with train operators warning customers not to travel amid gale-force winds and flooding.

It is the third storm to pass over the UK in recent days, after Storm Dudley and Storm Eunice wreaked havoc.

National Rail told people “do not travel” as it said the first services on most routes were cancelled, while there is a reduced timetable for Monday, alternative travel is unavailable and further disruption is expected.

Major flooding across parts of Yorkshire has blocked multiple lines and shuttered South Yorkshire’s Rotherham Central railway station until Tuesday 22 February.

Train operator Northern posted a photograph on social media showing the rail line through Rotherham station flooded to the extent that the tracks are not visible.

Other operators urging passengers not to travel include CrossCountry, Southeastern, TransPennine Express, and Avanti West Coast.

Thousands of homes in the UK are also still without power due to Storm Eunice, and Storm Franklin is complicating recovery efforts.

So just when can we expect more normal service to resume, and when will Franklin be behind us?

Here is everything you need to know.

When will Storm Franklin be over?

The worst of Storm Franklin should be over by the end of Monday 21 February.

The Met Office’s weather warning currently in place - a yellow warning of wind covering Northern Ireland, the far west of Scotland, Wales, and the entirety of England excluding the north-east - is expected to end at 1pm on Monday 21 February.

An amber warning previously in place for Northern Ireland expired at 7am.

Winds were expected to peak during rush-hour, according to Greg Dewhurst, senior meteorologist at the Met Office, who added that they will begin noticeably easing around lunchtime.

But as is always the case with the weather - particularly the British weather - it’s hard to forecast just exactly what will happen with 100% certainty.

You can track the storm for yourself using some very handy online tools. We’ve rounded up some of the best here.

In Ireland, status orange wind warnings issued for parts of the north and north-west have now been lifted, while a yellow wind warning for the entirety of the country expired at 9am.

Is the worst already over?

While the winds may have peaked during rush-hour, heavy showers lashing northern England and Northern Ireland are set to move south-eastwards.

“It’s still pretty strong out there and it will continue to be strong over the next few hours,” Dewhurst told the PA news agency.

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