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Storm Gerrit: Flood alerts across Wales and wind warning

BBC Weather Watchers/Ani-Caul waves sweep over a pier BeaumarisBBC Weather Watchers/Ani-Caul
Waves from Storm Gerrit hammer the pier in Beaumaris on Anglesey Wednesday morning

Roads flooded and warnings were in place as Storm Gerrit brought heavy rain and wind gusts up to 50-60mph (80-97 km/h) to Wales.

The Met Office issued a yellow warning for rain from 00:00 GMT on Wednesday until 16:00, followed by a wind warning for west Wales until 03:00 Thursday.

It said 30-40mm (1-1.6 inches) was "expected to accumulate quite widely".

Dozens of trains were cancelled, roads closed and flood warnings put in place.

Mermaid Quay Board Walk, in Cardiff Bay, has been closed because of high river levels. This is set to remain the case until at least late on Thursday morning.

A wind warning has been extended inland and is affecting counties across Wales.

Met Office Map showing yellow wind and rain warnings affecting most of walesMet Office
Storm Gerrit brought flooding with a rain warning for most of Wednesday a wind warning in the west from 18:00 GMT

Two flood warnings - which indicate flooding is expected and that immediate action should be taken - were in place on the River Usk, from Brecon to Glangrwyne, and on the River Towy, where some properties between Llandeilo and Abergwili were at risk.

More than 40 flood alerts - meaning flooding is possible - were in place by Wednesday afternoon, according to Natural Resources Wales' flooding map.

High winds have meant the closure of the M48 Severn Bridge.

In Pembrokeshire, the A477 Cleddau Bridge was closed to all high-sided vehicles, defined as those with main body or cabin is higher than 1.9m (6ft 3in), but had reopened by 15:30.

Water on the road a Garnswllt area near Ammanford
A road near Garnswllt, Carmarthenshire became submerged in water on Wednesday

The speed limit on the Britannia Bridge, which connects Anglesey to the mainland, has been reduced to 30mph (48 km/h) due to high winds.

A fallen tree in Gwynedd caused the closure of a A487 in both directions from the A470 Harlech turn off at Gellilydan to the A496 Betws-y-coed turn off at Maentwrog.

Transport for Wales reported 49 train cancellations and warned passengers to check before they travel because of "deteriorating weather conditions".

A landslip caused the closure of the AA465 Heads Of The Valleys Road in both directions from A470 Cefn Coed roundabout in Merthyr Tydfil to the B4276 Merthyr Road at Llwydcoed.

Dyfed-Powys Police said on X, formerly Twitter, it was getting a "number of calls" about standing water on roads in Pembrokeshire.

b roads Casllwchwr/ Gorseinon area
Surface water was seen on roads in Gorseinon, Swansea

The Met Office said on higher ground in south and west Wales 70-90mm (2.8-3.5 inches) of rain could fall.

Almost all of Wales' local authority areas were affected by the rain warning, with the exception of Flintshire and Anglesey.

"Strong winds will likely exacerbate any impacts from the rain," the weather service said.

Wind warning areas can expect gusts of 50-60mph (80-97 km/h) and up to 70mph (113km/h) on high ground and exposed coasts.

Flooding of the river Cynin in St Clears
Flooding of the river Cynin in St Clears, in Carmarthen

Met Office meteorologist Simon Partridge said the decision to name storm Gerrit was to help warn people coming home from the Christmas holidays of potential issues.

Mr Partridge added: "In terms of rain, we have rain warnings out for the whole of Northern Ireland, western Wales, north-west England, and then there's a combined sort of rain and snow warning for Scotland."