Storm Ashley hit the UK and Ireland, bringing heavy rainfall and hurricane-force winds. On Sunday, there was traffic chaos on the Islands – dozens of flights and ferry services were canceled, and uprooted trees damaged railway lines. The recording shows the problems faced by the pilots when approaching the landing in Dublin.
Ashley – the first to be named – arrived over the British Isles storm in this year's autumn-winter season. On Sunday, it passed over Ireland, Scotland, northern England and part of the Welsh coast, bringing wind gusts of up to 130 kilometers per hour. At the top of Cairn Gorm in Scotland's Eastern Grampians, the strongest gusts exceeded 170 km/h.
Difficulties even in London
Such strong winds caused traffic chaos in Great Britain and Ireland. At Dublin Airport, 28 flights were diverted to other airports and 60 were canceled. Recordings made by witnesses show the difficulties the pilots had to face. On Monday, airport operations slowly returned to normal, but its spokesman warned on social media that some connections had been delayed or canceled.
Difficult approach to landing in DublinENEX
Disruption was also reported in Cork and Shannon, as well as at a number of UK airports. Flights canceled in Belfast, Edinburgh and Glasgow; even at London Heathrow, far from Ashley's route, planes had trouble landing due to strong crosswinds.
The wind caused problems not only in air traffic. Railway line operators reported numerous damages – strong winds knocked down many trees on the tracks and interrupted traction. Ferries connecting Scotland with the Hebrides, the islands off its north-west coast, were also closed on Sunday.
The Independent, Irish Examiner
Main photo source: ENEX