Drinkers brave night out in Leeds despite brutal weather battering Britain with 70mph gales today

Partying up a storm! Drinkers brave night out in Leeds despite brutal weather battering Britain with 70mph gales to hit today

  • Sodden revellers were seen glamorously and scantily dressed across Leeds, undeterred by sleet and snow
  • A yellow weather warning was issued for much of the country today, with rain and wintry showers forecast 
  • With the worst of Storm Eunice past, the Met Office now predicts a third tempest is brewing – Storm Franklin 
  • The coast of the northwest of England is expected to bear the brunt of Franklin, with winds of up to 75mph

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Sodden revellers were out in force in Leeds Saturday evening – despite rain, sleet and strong winds forecast to engulf much of the country today. 

With the worst of Storm Eunice behind them, glamorously dressed partygoers appeared in high spirits as they turned out across Leeds to drink and dance in bars and nightclubs.

Gale force winds have subsided, although rain and wintry showers are forecast for much of the country today.

The Met Office issued new yellow weather warnings for wind and rain last night, with the Environment Agency issuing flood warnings across Yorkshire as rivers threaten to burst their banks.

All the while a new storm, named Storm Franklin, is brewing – described as a ‘low-pressure system’ by the Met Office, who predict it will bring ‘high winds’ tonight and Monday for large parts of the UK.

Rain and sleet could not keep these young women indoors yesterday in Leeds, as they enjoyed the weekend and the passing of the worst of gale force winds brought to the UK by Storm Eunice

Hardy revellers were seen across Leeds dressed glamorously and even in fancy dress yesterday despite snow and sleet

Hardy revellers were seen across Leeds dressed glamorously and even in fancy dress yesterday despite snow and sleet 

A woman shelters herself and her friend with a jacket, as the Met Office issued a yellow warning for Leeds last night - and the Environment Agency issued flood warnings across Yorkshire

A woman shelters herself and her friend with a jacket, as the Met Office issued a yellow warning for Leeds last night – and the Environment Agency issued flood warnings across Yorkshire

As Storm Franklin brews, a low-pressure system threatening to lash much of the UK with high winds on Sunday and Monday, glamorously dressed partygoers turned out around Leeds to enjoy the weekend's offerings

As Storm Franklin brews, a low-pressure system threatening to lash much of the UK with high winds on Sunday and Monday, glamorously dressed partygoers turned out around Leeds to enjoy the weekend’s offerings

Unperturbed by the sleet and snow, Leeds partygoers turned out in force to drink and dance at pubs and nightclubs

Unperturbed by the sleet and snow, Leeds partygoers turned out in force to drink and dance at pubs and nightclubs 

The UK is still reeling from the impact of Storm Dudley and Storm Eunice this week – as the Met Office warns a third tempest, called Storm Franklin, is building.  

An extended yellow warning for wind, covering much of the UK – apart from the northeast – has been issued for Storm Franklin, with wind gusts of 65-75mph expected to lash coastal areas, reducing to 50-60mph for parts further inland.  

The coasts of the northwest of England and the southwest of Scotland are expected to see the strongest wind speeds, as high as 75mph, on Sunday night and early Monday morning.     

Some 155,000 people are still without power today and train services continue to be disrupted after the record-breaking gales of 122mph brought by Storm Eunice barrelled through the country – with the Association of British Insurers indicating that the clean-up could cost more than £300 million.

Energy Networks Association have said they believes the UK may have experienced a record outage over a 24-hour period on Friday, with around 1.3 million homes affected.

Some 155,000 people are still without power today after the record-breaking gales of 122mph - but partygoers across Leeds were determined to make the most of their Saturday night

Some 155,000 people are still without power today after the record-breaking gales of 122mph – but partygoers across Leeds were determined to make the most of their Saturday night

Energy Networks Association have said they believe 1.3 million homes were affected by energy outages, as sleet and punishing winds are forecast to continue into Sunday and Monday across the UK

Energy Networks Association have said they believe 1.3 million homes were affected by energy outages, as sleet and punishing winds are forecast to continue into Sunday and Monday across the UK

Soggy but cheerful clubbers crowded the streets of Leeds, as the UK reels from Storm Eunice, with the clean up bill estimated to stand at a whopping £300 million by the Association of British Insurers

Soggy but cheerful clubbers crowded the streets of Leeds, as the UK reels from Storm Eunice, with the clean up bill estimated to stand at a whopping £300 million by the Association of British Insurers

Forecasters warn parts of England could be hit by up to 8in of snow, although Leeds partygoers last night faced only rain

Forecasters warn parts of England could be hit by up to 8in of snow, although Leeds partygoers last night faced only rain 

Today’s warnings cover Wales and most of England from midday until 3pm, and the North West and Northern Ireland from midday until midnight. Identical wind warnings have been issued for Monday.

A yellow warning for rain, meaning ‘there is a chance that homes and businesses could be flooded’, is also in place for Cumbria, Lancashire and West Yorkshire from midnight until 6pm on Sunday.

Parts of England are also set to be hit by up to 8in of snow this weekend with forecasters warning that fierce winds of up to 70mph are set to sweep the UK in the coming days.

Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst said: ‘We will see a slight easing in the wind over the evening time tonight, but it’s not long before they pick up again tomorrow to lead to another windy day across the UK.

‘This will have an impact on the clearing up process over the course of the day.’