Storm Otto leaves homes without power across the North East
Weather warnings for strong winds will remain in place until 2pm (Fri 17th)
Last updated 17th Feb 2023
Storm Otto has caused disruption to parts of the North East today (Fri 17th)
The storm, the first to be named this winter, was named by the Danish Meteorological Institute.
The Met Office say we can expect winds of up to 75mph at times.
Northern Powergrid say they're ready for the storm with extra teams and generators on standby.
So far, since the early hours, around 1500 homes across Northumberland, County Durham, Teesside and North Yorkshire have been left without power. They should be restored by early this evening.
To report a power cut and to see which areas have been affected you can view the Northern Powergrid website here
Other issues caused by Storm Otto include The Shields Ferry, operated by Nexus, being cancelled due to high winds.
Nexus have also closed Whitley Bay Metro station due to the winds.
The Redheugh Bridge between Gateshead and Newcastle is closed to high sided vehicles.
The A1(M) has been closed between J59 and J60 (Coatham Munderville Darlington) in both directions due to three overturned high-sided vehicles.
If you spot any issues that we should know about, please let us know and we'll get the word out.