Go on then, own up – who put another storm on their Christmas list this year? We’re going to hope no one said yes to that.
It might not be what we asked for, but unfortunately, it’s what we’re going to get.
It’s that awkward part of the festive break where the hustle and bustle of the Christmas days have died down, Boxing Day has been and gone, the new year is coming up, and nobody knows what day it is – but what we do know though, sadly, is that another storm is arriving today, and it’s set to batter the UK with some pretty grim weather.
Storm Gerrit was officially been named by the Met Office yesterday, and forecasters say it will bring “strong winds and heavy rain”, with “wintry hazards” also likely in some parts of the country.
With Brits told to prepare for the newly-named storm to arrive today (27 December), a number of weather warnings have been put in place by the Met Office – including two yellow weather warnings, one for wind and one for rain, covering most of north west England.
That means, as usual, Greater Manchester, sounds like it’s in for a bit of a rough time.
The yellow weather warning for rain means we should expect heavy downpours, with a potential for disruption to travel and a risk of flooding, while the yellow warning for wind is also forecast to bring travel disruption, and potential short-term power loss, among other inconveniences.
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“Storm Gerrit will run towards western UK on Wednesday and bring with it potential impacts for much of the UK,” explains Frank Saunders, who is a Chief Meteorologist at the Met Office.
“Winds across southern coastal areas of England will be strong, possibly peaking around 70 mph on exposed coastlines, but more widely around 50-60 mph within the warning area.
An unsettled start to Wednesday as #StormGerrit brings strong winds, heavy rain and snow⚠️
☔ Rain sweeping across the country, falling as snow over the higher ground in the north 🌨️⚠️
🌬️ Blustery showers and the occasional sunny spell developing later in Northern Ireland pic.twitter.com/SqWsonImKI
“Rain is an additional hazard from Storm Gerrit, with active weather fronts leading to a wet day for many.”
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Mr Saunders also added that snow is “likely to cause problems for some northern areas”, but this will only be briefly for a few upland routes across the Pennines and southern Scotland overnight and early on Wednesday.
For the rest of the UK, including Greater Manchester, it’s the combination of heavy rain and very strong winds that will “dominate”.
Storm Gerrit will transition gradually to the North East late on Wednesday and into Thursday, according to the Met Office, and then, when looking forward to later in the week, forecasters say we should prepare for “further unsettled weather” is likely later in the week.
Yet again, strong winds, rain, and even some snow are expected across parts of the UK.
Man jailed for 10 years after raping ‘extremely vulnerable’ woman in Manchester city centre
Emily Sergeant
A man has been jailed after being found guilty of raping an ‘extremely vulnerable’ woman multiple times in Manchester city centre.
Benjamin Wilson, of Norwood Avenue in Chesterfield, was sentenced to over 10 years in prison after being found guilty of offences committed in Manchester city centre back in June 2022, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has confirmed.
The victim – who was described as being ‘extremely vulnerable and intoxicated’ – plucked up the courage to go on a night out with friends in Manchester, however she became separated from them and was later subjected to a serious sexual assault, which was linked to a suspected drink spiking.
During the evening, the victim – whose identity has been withheld – and her friend believed their drinks had been tampered with, and she later found herself alone, heavily intoxicated, and extremely vulnerable, before she came into contact with Wilson near a takeaway.
Wilson took advantage of the situation, guiding her into a taxi before repeatedly raping her at a flat in Manchester.
The following morning, he dropped her near the hotel where she had been due to stay with her friend, and she proceeded to report the incident to police shortly afterwards.
A man has been jailed for 10 years after raping an ‘extremely vulnerable’ woman in Manchester city centre / Credit: GMP
From the outset, investigators said they faced ‘significant challenges’ – including limited early forensic opportunities and issues securing CCTV footage, all while needing to prioritise the victim’s wellbeing.
Hundreds of hours of work went into analysing witness accounts, financial and phone data, intelligence checks, and overcoming cross-force barriers leading to Wilson’s arrest in Derbyshire.
“The case was ultimately built through meticulous investigation, persistence, and, crucially, the strength and courage of the victim’s testimony,” GMP said.
Speaking following Wilson’s sentencing this week, DC Phillip Sargeant, of GMP’s Longsight CID, commented: “I am awestruck not only by the courage of the victim in coming forward, but also by her patience and resilience in waiting for justice.
“The impact on her, her family and her support network has been profound.
“I hope today’s sentence provides some measure of closure and enables them to move on from this traumatic experience.”
Featured Image – GMP
News
Council sets out plans to rework busy Manchester junction after ‘serious safety concerns’
Emily Sergeant
Bold new plans to transform one of Manchester’s busiest junctions following ‘serious’ safety concerns have been unveiled.
All the way back in 2022, Manchester City Council identified the junction of Wilmslow Road with Ladybarn Road and Sherwood Street as an area that would ‘greatly benefit’ from upgraded infrastructure.
As a major route into Manchester, and an important route cutting through the city’s southern neighbourhoods, this junction sees a vast amount of road, cyclist, and foot traffic every day… and because of this, there are also said to be ‘serious concerns’ around safety when it comes to this particular stretch of road.
In a five year period between 2018 and 2023 alone, there were 15 collisions at this junction, the Council explained – with two of these classified as ‘serious’.
Under the plans – which have been announced by the Council this week – the junction is to be partially redesigned, creating several new and safer crossing points for cyclists and pedestrians, a more ‘seamless’ route along the current cycling lanes, and overall, just general improvements to the layout.
🚧 Wilmslow Rd Junction Improvements 🚲 Works start 18 May 2026 at Wilmslow Rd / Ladybarn Rd / Sherwood St to make the junction safer for pedestrians & cyclists. ✅ New cycle lanes ✅ Safer crossings ✅ Better links to the Fallowfield Loop 🔗 https://t.co/Y26mH7cc8Epic.twitter.com/IiOih5ehqp
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) May 11, 2026
Some of the safety features set to be included are three dedicated crossing points for pedestrians at the junction, rumble strips for cyclists at pedestrian crossing points, and improved signage and road markings.
Work is due to begin as early as next Monday (18 May), and will run until January 2027.
The work is set to be carried out in four phases, the Council has confirmed – with the first phase of these works comprising of the removal of street furniture, kerbs and tarmac, as well as upgrades to the drainage and road markings.
“This junction in particular sees a high volume of traffic – from cars, cyclists and pedestrians, commented Councillor Tracey Rawlins, who is the Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment and Transport at Manchester City Council.
“So it was clear that improvements were required following our engagement with local residents.
“As has been the case with other schemes like this in Manchester, safety remains our number one priority.
“We have long said that we want Manchester to be a city where people can walk and cycle around in safety, and by upgrading this junction and improving its crossing points, we are taking another step towards that goal.”
Emily Sergeant -
27th December 2023 
