Storm Bram slammed into the United Kingdom this week, unleashing a barrage of heavy rain, powerful winds, and record-breaking warmth that left thousands stranded, disrupted travel nationwide, and triggered dozens of flood warnings. The tempest, which swept across the country on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, and lingered into Wednesday, marked the fourth named storm of the season, following Amy, Benjamin, and Claudia, and stood out not just for its ferocity but also for its unusual December temperatures.
According to the BBC, an amber warning for wind—indicating a potential danger to life—was in effect for north-west Scotland until 03:00 GMT Wednesday. While the most severe alerts have since eased, less severe yellow warnings for wind persisted in large parts of Scotland, and flood warnings remained widespread. As of 09:30 GMT on Wednesday, there were 49 flood warnings in place across the UK: 29 in England, 17 in Scotland, and three in Wales.
The storm’s impact was felt in every corner of the country. In Scotland, the Met Office warned that gusts could exceed 90mph in exposed areas, and the Mountain Weather Information Service even cautioned of winds reaching up to 100mph over some of the highest peaks. Machrihanish in Argyll and Bute saw winds over 70mph, while South Uist in the Outer Hebrides recorded gusts of 69mph. In Wales, Capel Curig in Gwynedd clocked a top gust of 84mph, and Aberdaron on the Llyn Peninsula saw 82mph—enough to topple trees, damage power lines, and make travel hazardous.
Travel chaos quickly followed. On Tuesday, several ferry routes on the west coast were cancelled or delayed, with all Caledonian MacBrayne sailings in the Western Isles affected and some routes staying in port for the entire day. Ferries linking Oban with Barra, Islay, and South Uist didn’t sail, and Northlink ferries between Scrabster and Stromness in Orkney were rescheduled in the morning and cancelled by afternoon as winds peaked. The overnight ferry from Aberdeen to Lerwick in Shetland was predicted to be two hours late. P&O Ferries, Irish Ferries, and Stena Line all cancelled daytime crossings linking Ireland and Northern Ireland with Wales and Scotland, as reported by The Independent.
Railways were no less affected. ScotRail announced early terminations for some north-west services on Tuesday, and delays and speed restrictions were imposed across the country. The West Highland Line between Glenfinnan and Mallaig and the line between Dingwall Junction and Kyle of Lochalsh closed as the amber warning came into force. Network Rail reported several fallen trees disrupting Scotland’s railways, particularly in the west and south-west. One train even struck a trampoline south of Perth, while another hit a tree on the Llandudno-Blaenau Ffestiniog line in Wales, causing cancellations that persisted into Wednesday.
Flooding closed all lines between Aberdare and Abercynon in south Wales on Tuesday, but trains resumed by Wednesday morning. Meanwhile, Great Western Railway reported cancellations in the west of England due to flooding between Par and Newquay, Totnes and Plymouth, and Swindon and Bristol Parkway. The Great Western line from Truro to Penzance was also disrupted, with no trains running between St Erth and Penzance until Wednesday afternoon.
Air travel was thrown into disarray. On Tuesday, Aer Lingus and British Airways cancelled dozens of flights, with some aircraft diverting or returning to their starting points due to the high winds. Belfast City Airport was the worst affected, suffering 27 cancellations and at least one British Airways flight that circled before returning to Heathrow. The first three British Airways flights from Edinburgh to London City Airport were cancelled on Wednesday, a continuation of the previous day’s disruptions. Passengers at Glasgow Airport also faced a difficult day, with multiple diversions and cancellations. According to The Independent, one Aer Lingus Regional flight from Manchester to Belfast took two and a half hours—more than three times its usual duration—due to repeated aborted landings and holding patterns.
Roads were treacherous as well. Police closed the A74(M) near Abington in Lanarkshire after multiple lorries were blown over, and a section of the main motorway linking Scotland and England was shut southbound on Wednesday morning. Transport Scotland warned of potential restrictions on road bridges, with the Tay Road Bridge closed to all traffic and its central walkway also shut. Several other bridges, including the Tyne, Skye, Kessock, Friarton, Erskine, and Forth Road bridges, were closed to high-sided vehicles. In Dumfries and Galloway, a fallen tree closed the A76 at Cuckoo Bridge roundabout.
Power outages added to the misery. As of 16:30 on Tuesday, over 4,000 properties in England and Wales were without electricity, according to the National Grid. Power cuts were also reported in Argyll, Tayside, and north-east Scotland; SP Energy Networks noted faults affecting parts of central and southern Scotland. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) issued 15 flood alerts and more than 30 flood warnings, including for Edinburgh, Ayrshire, Orkney, and the Western Isles, citing risks of coastal flooding, high river levels, and surface water on roads.
Communities scrambled to adapt. Seven schools in the Highland Council area closed early on Tuesday due to the forecast, and Ulster University shut some campuses. In Glasgow, the Winter Wonderlands Christmas markets at Glasgow Green and St Enoch Square were cancelled, and Dundee’s Christmas in the Square closed for the day. Organizers hoped to reopen by midday Wednesday, weather permitting.
Remarkably, Storm Bram also brought unseasonably mild air. Carlisle recorded a temperature of 16.8°C (62°F) on Tuesday, setting a new December record for the site—far above the typical December average of 5–9°C. BBC South West’s meteorologist David Braine noted that Dartmoor in Devon saw almost a month’s worth of rainfall in just 48 hours, swelling the River Dart and flooding homes in Totnes.
Storm Bram’s naming, as explained by BBC lead weather presenter Matt Taylor, was the result of a joint effort by the UK’s Met Office, Ireland’s Met Éireann, and the Dutch KNMI. The group names storms when significant impacts are expected in any of their countries, regardless of rainfall or wind speed thresholds. This season, Bram is only the second storm to be named by the group, following Amy, Benjamin (named by the French weather service), and Claudia (named by the Spanish service).
As Storm Bram finally pulled away on Wednesday, the UK began to see a return of sunshine—albeit with scattered heavy showers and lingering disruptions. Yet for thousands who found themselves unexpectedly stranded, and for communities still grappling with floodwaters and power cuts, the effects of this winter storm will be felt for days to come.
