Roads and railways were blocked and homes across the UK left without power as Storm Dave hit overnight
09:26, 05 Apr 2026Updated 09:33, 05 Apr 2026
Fallen tree on Heaton Moor Road, Stockport after Storm Dave hit overnight(Image: MEN)
Residents across Greater Manchester have woken up to damage and disruption this Easter Sunday morning as ‘extreme’ winds hit overnight.
Storm Dave battered northern parts of the UK from Saturday evening (April 4), with gusts of up to 93mph recorded in Snowdonia, Wales. A yellow wind warning was in place across Greater Manchester overnight, with other parts of the North West under a ‘danger to life’ amber warning.
The storm caused road closures and train disruptions early on Sunday morning (April 5). Network Rail Manchester announced rail replacement bus services would run between Manchester Piccadilly and Chester due to an ‘obstruction’ on the track.
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Writing on X, National Rail wrote: “An obstruction on the track between Manchester Piccadilly and Chester means all lines are blocked. As a result, trains running between these stations may be cancelled or delayed. This is expected until 09:30.”
Fallen tree on Heaton Moor Road, Stockport on Easter Sunday(Image: MEN)
Avanti trains were also blocked between Piccadilly and Preston after a tree fell onto the line in Preston. Writing on X, Avanti said: “Due to a tree blocking the railway between Manchester Piccadilly and Preston, the line towards Preston is blocked. Trains running to and from these stations may be delayed.”
In Heaton Moor, Stockport, a large tree has fallen overnight, appearing to have damaged the roof and windows of a residential building. Shocking photos show the fallen tree has uprooted a pavement on Heaton Moor Road, with the property cordoned off by Greater Manchester Fire Rescue Service.
The fallen tree appears to have damaged windows and the roof(Image: MEN)
The Woodhead Pass was also closed to high-sided vehicles overnight as Storm Dave hit and gusts of up to 75mph were forecast on higher ground. Road users were advised by National Highways to use the M60, M62 and M1 as an alternative route.
The amber wind alert for parts of northern England, north-west Wales and southern Scotland was lifted at 3am. Forecasters had warned of flying debris possibly leading to injuries or a ‘danger to life’.
Three yellow wind alerts -in northern England, Scotland and Wales – were lifted this morning. The Met Office’s forecast for Easter Sunday said: “Storm Dave will clear northeast on Sunday morning, leaving sunshine and widespread showers across the UK.
“Northern areas will see the heaviest, blustery showers and feel cold, while temperatures elsewhere stay closer to average for early April.”
Before the severe amber weather warning was lifted, the Met Office had forecast ‘severe gales’ across central and northern areas of the country overnight into Sunday.
The Met Office have a number of warnings as Storm Dave hit the UK(Image: Met Office)
Elsewhere in the UK, thousands of homes were without power in south and west Wales, according to National Grid, while SP Energy reported power cuts in north Wales. Power has since been restored in most areas.
In the early hours of Sunday, Traffic Scotland also warned that several major bridges had restrictions in place due to strong winds, including the Queensferry Crossing on the M90, which connects Edinburgh with Fife and the nearby Forth Road Bridge on the A9000.
The Humber Bridge linking East Yorkshire with north Lincolnshire reopened after being closed in both directions to high-sided and vulnerable vehicles early on Sunday due to strong winds, National Highways reported.
As of 7am on Sunday, there were four coastal flood warnings and 32 flood alerts across England and eight coastal flood alerts in Wales. In Scotland, 12 flood warnings and eight flood alerts remained in place.
The Energy Networks Association (ENA) – which represents electricity network operators – warned of potential power cuts and issued safety advice following the weather warnings.
It said in a statement on Saturday: “The storm has the potential to affect local power infrastructure, increasing the risk of a power cut and fallen power lines.
“Network operators are increasing staffing for operational teams, and moving spare equipment to where the weather is expected to be most disruptive, so it’s ready to use if needed.”