Storm Isha brings widespread strong winds to northern UK

Storm Isha brought widespread strong winds, particularly across the northern half of the UK, on 21 to 22 January 2024, the Met Office reports. Winds gusted at 69 to 81mph, including a gust of 99mph in Northumberland¹.

Isha was the ninth named storm of the 2023/24 season, named on 19 January 2024, and arrived in quick succession with Storm Jocelyn, the tenth, which affected the UK and Ireland on 23 to 24 January 2024¹. The Met Office says both storms were influenced by a powerful jet stream, intensified by a large contrast in temperature across North America caused by a pool of cold air over Canada and the United States sinking south¹.

The season as a whole saw 12 named storms, the greatest number since the first season in 2015, running from Storm Agnes on 27 September 2023 through to Storm Lilian on 22 August 2024¹. Earlier in the season, Storm Babet brought very strong winds, gusting at over 58mph across northeast England and much of Scotland, but the Met Office says the more significant impacts were from rainfall: eastern Scotland saw exceptional rainfall, with 150 to 200mm in the wettest areas, and two red warnings for rain were issued¹.

Source: Met Office storm season table¹

Why it matters for households

The Met Office records that the strongest winds from Isha were concentrated across the northern half of the UK, with the highest gust, 99mph, in Northumberland¹. The season's pattern matters for households preparing for winter: 12 named storms made 2023/24 the busiest season since naming began in 2015, and Isha and Jocelyn followed each other within days, so disruption from one storm could overlap with the arrival of the next¹. The Met Office's storm season record does not set out specific advice for households during Isha, and no casualty or damage figures for the storm are given in it; those have not been reported here.

For households travelling while strong winds are forecast, the site's guide on how to drive safely in strong winds sets out the practical points, and the storms and snow hub covers wider preparation for wind and winter weather.

What happens next

The 2023/24 season has closed. The Met Office lists the names unused during it as Minnie, Nicholas, Olga, Piet, Regina, Stuart, Tamiko, Vincent and Walid¹. No further detail on the current season's naming or warnings is given in the Met Office season summary.