In Pictures: The worst storms of 2018

People endured power cuts, travel disruption and injuries as a result of the severe weather.

The Met Office now routinely names major storms that will impact the UK to help raise awareness and spread advice ahead of their arrival.

A crowd-sourcing initiative begun in 2015 saw 10,000 potential names submitted by members of the public.

This is how some of the worst storms of the year left their mark on the UK and Ireland:

Storm Eleanor

Waves crash over the sea walls in Blackpool as Storm Eleanor lashed the UK in January 2018 (PA)

Storm Eleanor tore a destructive path through the UK in the first few days of the year.

Tens of thousands of homes were plunged into darkness as Eleanor swept across the country between January 2 and 3.

Wind speeds of up to 89mph were recorded on the Isle of Wight and falling trees caused a number of road closures and injuries, including to a man in Worcestershire and another in Wales.

A woman jogs through sea foam in Blackpool as Storm Eleanor lashed the UK with violent storm-force winds of up to 100mph, leaving thousands of homes without power and hitting transport links (PA)

A harbour wall collapsed in Portreath, Cornwall, and a respite centre was set up for seafront residents at risk of flooding.

The Severn River Crossing and the Orwell Bridge in Suffolk were closed due to winds, and train lines nationwide were affected by falling debris.

Storm Georgina

A car driving down a flooded road near Sutton in Cambridgeshire, as parts of Britain are battered with strong winds and heavy rain from Storm Georgina (PA)

Arriving in late January, Storm Georgina brought 70mph winds around exposed coastlines in England and Wales.

The strongest winds were felt in Scotland, where they hit 85mph.

The storm lead to many ferry services being cancelled, while flooding disrupted road and rail travel.

In Scotland, the A76 was closed near Kirkconnel due to a landslide, while train services to Edinburgh were disrupted.

Beast from the East

People were advised to stay at home back in February as snow storms battered the country when the Beast from the East came to town. 

Schools across Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire were closed as a result of the snow blowing in from Eastern Europe.

Transport was heavily affected throughout the UK with drivers stranded on motorways and terminations to train and bus services up and down the country. 

Storm Hector

ESB Networks crews worked to restore power to homes near Naas in Co Kildare after Storm Hector saw unusually strong winds of 50-70mph batter the whole of the island (PA)

Storm Hector brought record-breaking winds and caused travel disruption in June.

A wind-speed of 74mph in Orlock Head, Northern Ireland, broke the June record for a gust in Ireland, the Met Office said.

In Scotland, “chainsaw gangs” and overhead line teams were deployed across the rail network to remove trees and branches that caused delays and cancellations to services.

The storm brought heavy rain to parts of Cumbria with 3.2ins (80mm) falling, and 5.1ins (130mm) in the Isle of Skye within 24 hours.

A woman in Edinburgh was taken to hospital after she was struck by a roof slate in high winds.

Storm Ali

Strong winds blow sand across the seafront at Troon Beach in Ayrshire as Storm Ali arrived in the UK in September (PA)

Two people died as Storm Ali swept across the UK and Ireland in September, bringing wind speeds of more than 100mph.

More than 70,000 homes were left without power across Scotland and tug boats were called to the Nautica cruise ship which slipped its berth in Greenock.

A Barrhead taxi driver had a lucky escape when his car was crushed during the chaos.

A woman was killed after the caravan she was in was blown off a cliff in County Galway, Ireland.

A man also died after being hit by a tree as he worked at Slieve Gullion Park in County Armagh.

Firefighters rescued a woman from her car in Cheshire after a tree fell on its roof.

Storm Bronagh

A flooded road between Sheffield and Rotherham after Storm Bronagh brought 70mph strong winds and heavy rain to parts of the UK (@Bungle90815/PA)

Hot on the heels of Ali, Storm Bronagh caused travel misery and widespread disruption – with fallen trees and flooding blocking roads and rail routes.

In September, Bronagh brought heavy rainfall as it swept across the UK, with 78mph gusts recorded in the Needles on the Isle of Wight.

Parts of Wales were badly hit by the downpours and in Cynghordy, Carmarthenshire, footage surfaced of a car floating along a fast-flowing river, in what police described as “incredible weather conditions”.

High winds meant speed restrictions were put in place for many trains across the network in England and Wales.

In cricket’s County Championship, Somerset were forced to abandon their clash with Surrey after wind blew off the covers and caused an unfit playing surface.

Storm Callum

Waves hit Cawsand, Cornwall as Storm Callum arrived to the UK (PA)

A 21-year-old man died in a landslide after Storm Callum brought flooding to the UK with torrential downpours in October.

Corey Thomas Sharpling was killed near the village of Cwmduad in Carmarthenshire, west Wales.

Rivers burst their banks and homes were left without power as the west of Britain was lashed with rainfall.

Parts of South Wales were severely affected, with images showing towns partially submerged across the region.

Elsewhere, rail services were plagued by delays and around 100 sheep were swept away in floodwater at Pontargothi in west Wales.

Storm Diana

The Coast Guard came to the assistance of a walker during high winds and swells on Dublin’s great south wall as the tail end of Storm Diana crossed the East Coast of Ireland (PA)

A storm named Diana by Portuguese meteorologists brought strong winds and heavy rain to parts of the UK in October.

Winds of up to 72mph were measured in Plymouth as the Met Office issued a number of flood warnings for the South West.

Hundreds of homes saw power cuts due to adverse winds and rain across the South West, Midlands and Wales.

Storm Deirdre 

Snow falling in the Scottish Borders during severe weather brought by Storm Deirdre (PA)

Almost the whole of the UK was covered in weather warnings as Storm Deirdre arrived in mid-December.

Strong gales and snow left thousands of homes without power and created treacherous driving conditions.

Police forces across the country responded to several incidents of fallen trees and traffic collisions.

Incidents of freezing rain falling in some parts of the UK were also recorded.

The rare weather phenomenon can pose risks to drivers and pedestrians as slippery black ice surfaces can form very quickly.