Met Office declares Storm Babet with yellow warning for North East and Yorkshire

The Met Office declared Storm Babet on 16 October 2023, Northern Powergrid reported. The warning in place is a yellow weather warning for heavy wind and rain across the North East and Yorkshire, running from 6am on Thursday 19 October to 6am on Saturday 21 October 2023¹.

Northern Powergrid, the electricity distributor for the region, said the weather front has the potential to affect the electricity network, so there is a possibility of disruption to power supplies. It said its teams are on standby to be deployed to any affected areas, and that customer support vehicles and welfare partners are prepared to go out into local communities where possible¹.

The company said it is proactively contacting vulnerable customers registered with its free Priority Services Membership, and is engaging with stakeholders, local councils and Local Resilience Forums. Registered customers affected by a power cut will be contacted with the time their power is likely to be back on and any additional help available, by text message if a mobile number is held or by phone if only a landline number is held¹.

Why it matters for households

Households across the North East and Yorkshire are covered by the warning for the two-day period. Northern Powergrid said a power cut is possible if the storm affects the network, and that it will keep customers updated via its website, social media channels and text message¹.

The company's power cut advice, as published, includes bookmarking its online power cut map and reporting service on mobile devices; keeping a charged mobile phone with important numbers, including 105, the free national power cut phone line, easily accessible; turning off electrical appliances at the socket, which it says is particularly important for heating or cooking appliances because power could be restored at any time and potentially cause a safety hazard; keeping one light switched on so you know when power is restored; and keeping a battery or wind-up torch handy, which it says is much safer than candles. It also advises checking on elderly or sick neighbours and relatives, ensuring warm clothing and blankets are handy and having food and drink in the home that does not require electricity to heat or prepare, and says to call 999 only in the event of an emergency¹.

Power cuts can be reported online at northernpowergrid.com/power-cuts, or by calling 105 where there is no online access. Customers can also report a power cut via WhatsApp on 0191 687 22 54, available Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm¹. Households can read about Met Office weather warnings and what the yellow, amber and red levels mean, and how to sign up for Met Office weather alerts.

What happens next

Northern Powergrid said it will continue to keep customers updated via its website, social media channels and text message if needed. Customers who come across someone who needs to be registered for the Priority Services Membership can contact the dedicated priority service line on 0800 169 2996; details are also at northernpowergrid.com/care, by email at priorityservices@northernpowergrid.com or by phone on the same number¹. Further coverage of storms and snow is in the storms and snow section.