Home / Weather / Storm Chandra Batters UK: Schools Shut, 100 Flood Warnings Issued
Storm Chandra Batters UK: Schools Shut, 100 Flood Warnings Issued
29 Jan
Summary
- Hundreds of schools in Northern Ireland and South West England remain closed.
- Over 100 flood warnings are in effect, with severe alerts in Somerset and Devon.
- Severe weather has caused widespread travel disruption, including road and rail closures.
As of 2026-01-29T12:28:46+00:00, Storm Chandra continues to bring dangerous weather conditions to the UK. Hundreds of schools are closed, particularly in Northern Ireland where over 350 remain shut, and dozens are closed across the South West of England. An ice warning is in effect for all regions of Northern Ireland, replacing yesterday's amber warning.
Numerous flood warnings, numbering nearly 100, are active. Somerset has declared a major incident due to significant flooding, and the River Otter in Devon saw its highest recorded level. Firefighters have rescued 25 people trapped in floodwater in Devon and Cornwall. Travel is severely disrupted, with roads, rail lines, and airports affected. National Rail anticipates disruption until Friday.
Further hazards include strong winds in western areas, heavy rain on saturated ground in the South West, and potential snow accumulation of 10-20cm on higher ground in the Pennines, southern Scotland, and the Highlands. The Met Office forecasts unsettled weather with rain and wind persisting into Friday, with improvements expected over the weekend.
