Storm Isha: How to stay safe as fierce winds and storm rage across Wakefield, Horbury, Ossett, South Kirkby and Normanton

With much of the country in the grip of the ninth named storm of the season, Wakefield was subject to wind gusts of 56mph yesterday.

A yellow wind warning is set to remain in place for the area until Wednesday evening and the Met Office has given some safety measures to keep safe and prevent damage to property.

The Met Office also says some damage to buildings – such as tiles blown from roofs – could happen, power cuts may occur – with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage, some roads and bridges may close, and road, rail, air and ferry services may be affected, with longer journey times and cancellations possible.

The Met Office offers general advice for safety measures you can take during a storm:

Outside the home

• Ensure any doors and windows, especially those facing the wind, are secured
• Consider securing loose objects such as shed doors, plant pots, outdoor furniture, bins and trampolines

Inside the home

• Move any beds from being directly underneath tall chimney stacks that are in poor condition
• Close internal doors behind you
• Secure loft trapdoors with bolts if possible

Parking

• If possible, park your vehicle in a garage
• Try to park away from trees and buildings
• Consider parking away from tiled roofs, as tiles may become loose in strong winds

Staying safe outside

• The Met Office advice is also to stay indoors as much as possible. If you do go out, stay away from trees and buildings as much as possible
• Keep away from the sheltered side of walls if you are outside – if they collapse they will fall on this side
• Be aware of trees and walls after a storm as they may have been weakened
• Check in on vulnerable neighbours

Driving

• Only drive if necessary
• If you need to travel by car, be prepared for road closures and delays and check road updates ahead of time
• Pack the car with emergency essentials, such as a torch, a fully charged phone, an in-car charger, a blanket, food and drink
• Drive slowly to help minimise the impact of any wind gusts
• On roads which are exposed to the wind, be aware of high-sided vehicles and only over-take with caution, allowing extra room than you normally would
• Hold the steering wheel firmly