Across the United Kingdom, people are experiencing another weekend of strong winds, heavy rain and potential flooding as Storm Dennis hits the region.
Two people have died off the coast of southeast England, The Associated Press reports. Their bodies were recovered from the storm's rough seas.
The U.K. national meteorological service, known as the Met Office, issued several heavy rain warnings for areas of England and Wales.
"Storm Dennis will bring another very unsettled spell of weather this weekend with a risk of flooding, particularly in parts of England and Wales and also southern Scotland, where snowmelt will add to the flood risk," Steve Willington, chief meteorologist for the Met Office, said in a statement.
Travel disruptions are also expected to increase. Hundreds of flights to and from Britain were canceled. Planes arriving earlier on Saturday faced tough landing conditions.
The Met Office also said that bus and train services are likely to be delayed or canceled. Difficult driving conditions and road closures are also expected.
This footage shows planes battling the high winds brought by #StormDennis as they approached Heathrow Airport runway.
— SkyNews (@SkyNews) February 15, 2020
Read the latest here: https://t.co/NYd0MysVQf pic.twitter.com/rnfm75A8Hx
Storm Dennis is now one of the five strongest nontropical cyclones on record in the Northern Atlantic Ocean, according to The Washington Post.
The storm intensified rapidly over the ocean after combining with another bomb cyclone that had hit Iceland.
A minimum central air pressure of 920 millibars was recorded on Saturday, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Ocean Prediction Center. Lower air pressures mean stronger storms. The current pressure is similar to that seen in Category 4 hurricanes.
#hurricaneforce conditions continue near a strong 920 mb low in the N Atlantic per the 18 UTC surface analysis. #marinewx pic.twitter.com/9qqmEo3TNh
— NWS OPC (@NWSOPC) February 15, 2020
Cornwall’s north coast taking a beating in #StormDennis - incredible video of the Monkey Hut at Portreath shot (from a safe distance) by Chris Wright (@chriswrightphotos on Instagram) #StormDennis #Cornwall pic.twitter.com/Phd6QMZt8D
— Spotlight (@BBCSpotlight) February 15, 2020
The Ocean Prediction Center reportedly said that as the storm strengthens into Sunday, the region can expect to see winds up to 98 mph and waves with possible heights of more than 100 feet.
Storm Dennis comes just days after Storm Ciara hit northern England, causing flooding and power outages. At least eight people died across Europe from that storm.
With the ground still saturated, officials worry that Storm Dennis will cause even more flooding and property damage.
On Saturday, about 145 British army personnel and reservists helped set up barricades and repair others that were damaged in the West Yorkshire region in northern England, the AP reports.
"Our armed forces are always ready to support local authorities and communities whenever they need it," British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said told the news service. "The rapid response of the army today will help with provision of flood relief to local communities in West Yorkshire."
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