15,000 Homes Left Without Power As Storm Atiyah Brings 83pmh Gales

More than 15,000 homes across the UK and Ireland were left without power after Storm Atiyah brought winds of 83mph, according to the Met Office.

The South West of England and Wales was badly affect, with around 5,500 homes left without power after the powerful winds brought down power cables.

Electricity also went down in Caerphilly, Gwynedd, Ceredigion, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Swansea and Powys.

Luckily, Western Power Distribution confirmed that they managed to get power restored to most of those homes overnight, but at 7am this morning there were still nearly 700 homes in the dark.

Cornwall was another area that was badly hit, with around 1,400 homes cut off from electrical power in Cambourne. Exeter in Devon also saw 100 properties were blacked out.

On the other side of the Irish Sea, 10,000 homes in Ireland also had their power knocked out after the winds caused a huge electrical fault in County Kerry.

The Met Office had earlier issued a yellow warning for wind across the South West of England as well as a 'sea-area gale warning' around Plymouth.

This morning, drivers were urged to proceed with caution as strong winds, torrential rain and electrical storms battered the area overnight.

That could mean debris in roads, localised flooding, and all sorts of other reasons to take it cautiously.

The Met Office confirmed that the Isle of Wight recorded the highest wind speed, with gusts clocking in at 83mph.

Further warnings are in place across parts of the UK for Tuesday, and more unsettled weather later in the week could bring with it fresh alerts.

Earlier, the Met Office warned: "It's likely that some coastal routes, sea fronts and coastal communities will be affected by spray and large waves, and damage to temporary structures is possible.

"People are strongly advised to stay clear of cliff tops and coastal paths.

"There is a risk of outside Christmas decorations flying past people's windows.

"Stay safe everyone as this storm looks set to pack a punch especially for exposed coastal areas and hills.

"Due to a combination of high seas and storm surge, there is a possibility of coastal flooding."

Storm Atiyah is the first named storm of the Christmas and New Year period, but it is unlikely to be the last.

There is still the chance that flooding, downed trees, disruption to power, and other issues are possible as the last of the storm blows through.

Just stay safe out there, guys.