We’ll keep you up-to-date on the impact of Storm Ciara as it lashes York and North Yorkshire.
Got any news? Send it to us at [email protected]
The River Ouse is set to peak tomorrow (Tuesday), below its all time high.
According to York Central MP Rachael Maskell, the Ouse now expected to peak at 5am to the level of 4.2m.
She tweeted that this is the level it reached in early December 2015 with Storm Desmond. The one that brought the devastating Boxing Day floods that year was Storm Eva.
Her tweet at 2.19pm came shortly after this graphic from the Flood Warning Information Service, suggesting a peak at 5.45am of 4.42m.
Ms Maskell wrote: “The incident room at the Environment Agency is open. I thank the staff for their hard work over the weekend.”
The weather is still causing transport disruption today.
It is causing problems on the trains, with a number of cancellations. Here’s where you can find the latest:
A full Grand Central service is planned to operate today as per our timetable and customers can use their Grand Central tickets dated Sunday 9 February to travel on Grand Central services today.
We expect all trains to be very busy.
— Grand Central Rail (@GC_Rail) February 10, 2020
First York have a diversion on the no 10 route:
🚧 DIVERSION – 10 🚧
Due to flooding service 10 will be diverting along Millfield Ln, Ebor Way, right onto Dikelands Ln, onto Main St then back onto normal route.
We apologise for any disruption this may cause to your day. ^TC
— First York (@FirstYork) February 10, 2020
But Skeldergate is open, although this may change:
Skeldergate is open and @FirstYork services are running ok this morning – the river is rising though – please keep an eye on our twitter feed for updates. #Ouse #York pic.twitter.com/19m9GF6hxB
— Marc Bichtemann (@MarcBichtemann) February 10, 2020
Bright sunshine on Shambles right now, but it is pretty gusty and more rain is forecast.
On the main news site we have posted an update on the impact of the inclement weather today, which has closed Shambles Market among other places.
It also has links to all the flood warnings for York at the moment.
More on York readying its flood defences, first mentioned at 4.55pm.
City of York Council has issued a statement outlining the latest safety measures in the light of rising river levels.
“With river levels predicted to rise to the highest levels seen since the 2015 floods, the council has been putting in defences to protect those areas most affected,” it says.
That means putting sandbags in place at:
Flood boards have been installed at Peckitt Street.
Further measures like the closure of St George’s Field car park and Rowntree Park are likely to happen in the early hours of tomorrow, although plans will be revised if the forecasts change.
We’re expecting the river to reach high levels tomorrow afternoon, so a flood warning is now just a matter of when rather than if.
As a city, we’ve spent a lot of time and effort preparing for flood risk so we can protect people and property so, by and large, we should be able to get on with daily life.
We’re putting place the local and citywide flood defences, and any residents or businesses at risk of flooding should also put their own flood plans in place.
It’ll be business as usual for York tomorrow, just take extra care on the roads and remember that riverside paths and cycle ways are likely to be affected as river levels rise.
Two useful websites – the council’s flood advice page, and the national flood warnings site.
Unsurprisingly, we have more flood alerts from the Environment Agency.
It issued an alert for the River Foss catchment at 6.46pm.
The agency said:
River levels have risen and are likely to remain high overnight. Avoid using low lying footpaths near local watercourses.
We are monitoring the situation closely.
There are now five flood alerts around York, concerning:
A flood alert has this afternoon (Sunday) been issued for the upper River Ouse.
And City of York Council says it is ready with its flood defence plan.
The flood alert was issued by the Environment Agency at 4.40pm, after the heavy rain brought by Storm Ciara. It says:
There has been widespread heavy rain accompanied by high winds throughout Sunday 09/02/2020, and we expect further patchy rainfall throughout the coming week. River levels are rising and are currently 1.8m at York Viking recorder and rising.
We expect levels to rise above 4.5m mid-afternoon tomorrow Monday 10/02/20 and remain high into next week along the River Ouse catchment.
Avoid using low lying footpaths near local water courses. We are monitoring the situation closely and expect to operate the Foss barrier.
City of York Council tweeted out: “With all this water around from #StormCiara, river levels are rising.
“We’re working with partners to monitor our rivers, and are ready to put in place our flood defence plans to protect our communities as the needs arise.”
Here are some more of the impacts of Storm Ciara near us, which has closed everything from cycle paths to museums and made driving treacherous. The worst of it appears to be in Pateley Bridge which has a severe flood warning.
Due to the adverse weather the Museum is closing early today at 3:00pm#StormCiara
— Yorkshire Air Museum (@air_museum) February 9, 2020
Also preparing to close access to Terry Ave pic.twitter.com/lkLsSKlFdd
— Andrew Jamieson (@acj106) February 9, 2020
This is the scene in #Pateleybridge where there is a severe threat to life flood warning in place at the moment. I am live on @StrayFM with updates this afternoon #StormCiara pic.twitter.com/DVw8MjVMQP
— Will Smith 📻📻 (@strayfmwill) February 9, 2020
This driver had a lucky escape by Ripon golf club. Thanks so much to all the locals who pulled together to get the road partially open pic.twitter.com/SzXomChprR
— PC Sarah 👮🏼♀️ (@PCPink1995) February 9, 2020
These pictures show how a falling tree caused serious problems on a street in Tang Hall, York, earlier today.
The tree, brought down by Storm Ciara, hit a car on St Hilda’s Mews.
It struck a white Nissan Juke, causing damage to its roof and door. The car was being driven at the time. A witness said the driver was shocked but appeared otherwise unhurt, but had to be checked out by medics.
The tree blocked the road for some time but it has now been cleared away and the road is passable again.
Thanks to reader Kelly Maughan for the photos.
You can now get through on Stockton Lane.
A tree had fallen close to the mini-roundabout near the stray and was all but blocking the road.
But a City of York Council worker has done a great job of cutting back the tree and clearing the road.
Pedestrians and walkers are warned that riverside paths could soon be unusable in York.
This from City of York Council deputy leader Andy D’Agorne:
Important flood risk information – please retweet. predicted rise to 4m by 9am which means riverside #yorkpaths impassable @iTravelYork @YorkCycle @YorkBikeBelles @YorkEnvironmen1 https://t.co/edmpQzcTZL
— Andy D'Agorne (@AndyDAgorne) February 9, 2020
This from York Twitter user Martin Hetherington:
Not much sleep last night! #StormCiara #Cumbria pic.twitter.com/HQKxAmixWk
— Martin Hetherington (@M_Hetherington2) February 9, 2020
And this from Ian at Money Alive:
Blimey, it’s getting so noisy in here it’s putting me off my drum practice #StormCiara pic.twitter.com/vRAd8yHdwj
— Ian at Money Alive (@MyMoneyAlive) February 9, 2020
Meanwhile the York Press‘s Daniel Willers is braving the city centre:
#StormCiara hitting York this morning pic.twitter.com/LEDjrdhIDC
— Daniel Willers (@danwillerspress) February 9, 2020
As Minster FM’s Ben Fry is seeing his garden transformed:
Garden now underwater #StormCiara pic.twitter.com/kV1Tr74Srn
— Minster FM Breakfast Show (@BenMinsterFM) February 9, 2020
A fallen tree is causing problems on Stockton Lane in York.
It was reported by Coastliner buses at 11.42am. The service is being diverted.
According to Twitter user Genius & Me it is blocking three quarters of the road.
There’s a fallen tree on Stockton Lane so our #Coastliner buses are having to take a slightly different route to Malton Road. It means we have to miss stops at Herberts Way, Seymour Grove, Hewarth Golf Course and Monk Stray. Sorry if this affects your journey with us today
— Coastliner | York & Country (@yorkbus) February 9, 2020
@NYorksPolice hi, there’s a tree down on Stockton Lane, stray end. Three quarters blocking the road. Only just possible to pass.
— Genius & Me (@GeniusnMe) February 9, 2020
Flooding has closed a key York road.
Fulford road is impassable at Germany Beck at the moment. Buses are being diverted.
Due to flooding Fulford road is closed at Germany Beck.
Service 7’s are diverting via Heslington Lane, Field Lane , Hull Road and the A64 in both directions.^SF— First York (@FirstYork) February 9, 2020
Team are telling me that Germany Beck #A19 is flooding and road is being closed. Diversion will be in place for service 7 and Fulford Village will not be served. Follow @FirstYork for updates. #StormCiara #York pic.twitter.com/biJi7MLMEG
— Marc Bichtemann (@MarcBichtemann) February 9, 2020
Gale force winds and torrential rain are battering North Yorkshire today as Storm Ciara hits our neck of the woods.
North Yorkshire Police say their Force Control Room is being inundated with calls.
There is widespread flooding, particularly in the Skipton and Craven areas, trees are blocking roads and it’s generally not particularly safe out there.
North Yorkshire Police say:
No corner of the county has escaped today’s bad weather, and our Force Control Room and frontline officers have dealt with a large range and high volume of weather-related incidents.
We’re working closely with other organisations including North Yorkshire’s Highways team to keep routes as clear as possible and divert motorists if absolutely necessary.
You can read the full story here.
We’ll keep updating our live blog with any news from York and around.