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First downs and second guesses: Volleyball season in Nebraska isn’t over. In fact, it’s just beginning. On Monday the Omaha Supernovas announced their draft class, including Creighton All-America Kendra Wait and Nebraska’s Lindsay Krause. They join former Husker Ally Batenhorst, Briana Holman and Kayla Caffey on the roster of the defending Pro Volleyball Federation champions. A couple hours later, the Love Volleyball League announced the signing of its “LOVB 6,” a rookie class that includes Lexi Rodriguez (Omaha) Jess Mruzik (Houston), Sarah Franklin (Madison), Sophie Fischer (Salt Lake), One Ofoegbu (Atlanta), and Madisen Skinner (Austin). Rodriguez joins a LOVB Omaha roster that already is loaded with local star power in Jordan Larson, Justine-Wong-Orantes, Madi Kubik, Lauren Stivrins and Jaali Winters. Is this town big enough for two pro volleyball teams? We’ll find out in a few weeks. The Supernovas open their season on Jan. 10 at the CHI Health Center. Two weeks later, on Jan 24., Omaha LOVB (team name?) opens its inaugural season at Liberty Credit Union First Arena (Ralston), where it will play four matches and two more at Baxter Arena. The level of play in both leagues will be incredible. But are there enough fans to go around? The “Novas” averaged 9,656 fans last year in 12 matches at the CHI Health Center. They led the rest of the teams by a lot. Now add local heroes Wait, Krause and Batenhorst and attendance should improve. But what if fans also want to go see Larson, Rodriguez, Stivrins and Winters, along with familiar opponents like Franklin and Mruzik? How will it all play out? Apparently, LOVB’s pockets run deep. For old San Diego Chargers fans like myself and John Cook, an easy comparison is the National Football League and American Football League wars in the 1960’s. Which resulted in the creation of the Super Bowl and then a merger. This winter should be a blast. But I can already see a couple of questions that might need asking come April. Shouldn’t these two pro volleyball leagues have a championship series at the end? Wouldn’t a merger be the best possible thing for the sport of volleyball? See you next month, ladies. I can still sense a Nebraska volleyball hangover with Husker fans. That’s the impact that team had on folks. Those ladies reached in and grabbed them by the heart. It was an incredible ride and they celebrated all the joys. But that pain at the end is going to leave a mark. The four College Football Playoff quarter final match-ups look terrific. Like, get-me-to-a-TV on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 terrific. So, is eight the right number? Don't give up on 12 yet. I still like 12. I’m a brand name sports guy. I like watching the big boys battle for championships. But I also want the non-brands, the little guys, in there. Underdogs bring a lot to the postseason. They bring the "what if" factor. What if the long shot gets on a roll? That's why we watch. You wouldn't just want a playoff with all SEC and Big Ten teams would you? That's not a national championship. The first-round blowouts weren’t good. But it happens, and it happened in the four-team playoff era. But one day there will be upsets, too. Football can't be basketball. But upsets are the magic in the NCAA tournament. When the field was announced, I thought Indiana and SMU belonged. A loss on an opponent's home field can't change that. Alabama’s problem was its loss to Oklahoma. And who would have imagined that OU would drag mighty Bama out of the playoff? I’m real tired of the SEC whining. It just hurts more. Hey, you guys wanted OU and Texas. You got ‘em. There has been arguing and debates over college football's national champion forever. Expansion to 12 was never going to change that. Until the college game goes to 32 teams and puts them into divisions, ala the NFL, with equal scheduling, there's going to be arguing. I would only change one thing with the first weekend: no first-round byes. The campus atmospheres were fabulous. Give me more of ‘em. One of the great things about the transfer portal is when an athlete settles in and makes the community better. Creighton senior Steven Ashworth is doing that. Ashworth is headlining a local charitable initiative called “Light The World.” The unique project features vending machines, or “Giving Machines,” which are located in Westroads Mall near Von Maur. The machines offer items (10 Blankets for $50 for a homeless shelter) that people can swipe a credit card and donate the item of their choice. The machines will be at Westroads until Dec. 31. Ashworth and a group of Creighton athletes from men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball will be at Westroads on Dec. 28 between 5-8 p.m., to visit and sign autographs. Bill Belichick is used to coaching the best of the best. The majority of college football players are not NFL players. They work hard, and they can make mistakes. Belichick will recruit well at North Carolina, but he’s not going to have an NFL roster. There are going to be mistakes. How will he deal with that? I bet this caught Belichick’s attention: Tulane redshirt quarterback Darian Mensah hit the portal and wound up at Duke. According to CBS Sports, Mensah received an NIL deal at Duke reportedly worth $8 million over two years. When did North Carolina and Duke start spending like Ohio State and Alabama for football? The New Year is upon us. I’m taking nominations for top sports stories in 2024. Send them my way this week. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Tired of thinking about what gifts to get everyone this year? Artificial intelligence chatbots might help, but don't expect them to do all the work or always give you the right answers. Anyone scouring the internet for Cyber Monday deals is likely going to encounter more conversational iterations of the chatbots that some retailers and e-commerce sites have built to provide shoppers with enhanced customer service. Some companies have integrated models infused with newer generative AI technologies, allowing shoppers to seek advice by asking naturally phrased questions like “What's the best wireless speaker?” Retailers hope consumers use these chatbots, which are typically called shopping assistants - as virtual companions that help them discover or compare products. Prior chatbots were mostly used for task-oriented functions such as helping customers track down online orders or return ones that didn't meet expectations. Amazon , the king of online retail, has said its customers have been questioning Rufus - the generative AI- powered shopping assistant it launched this year - for information such as whether a specific coffee maker is easy to clean, or what recommendations it has for a lawn game for a child's birthday party. And Rufus, which is available for holiday shoppers in the U.S. and some other countries, is not the only shopping assistant out there. A select number of Walmart shoppers will have access this year to a similar chatbot the nation's largest retailer is testing in a few product categories, including toys and electronics. Perplexity AI added something new to the AI chat-shopping world last month by rolling out a feature on its AI-powered search engine that enables users to ask a question like “What's the best women's leather boots?" and then receive specific product results that the San Francisco-based company says are not sponsored. “It has been adopted at pretty incredible scale,” Mike Mallazzo, an analyst and writer at retail research media company Future Commerce, said. Retailers with websites and e-commerce companies started paying more attention to chatbots when use of ChatGPT , an artificial intelligence text chatbot made by the company OpenAI, went mainstream in late 2022, sparking public and business interest in the generative AI technology that powers the tool. Victoria’s Secret, IKEA, Instacart and the Canadian retailer Ssense are among other companies experimenting with chatbots, some of which use technology from OpenAI . Even before the improved chatbots, online retailers were creating product recommendations based on a customer's prior purchases or search history. Amazon was at the forefront of having recommendations on its platform, so Rufus' ability to provide some is not particularly groundbreaking. But Rajiv Mehta, the vice president of search and conversational shopping at Amazon, said the company is able to offer more helpful recommendations now by programming Rufus to ask clarifying or follow-up questions. Customers are also using Rufus to look for deals, some of which are personalized, Mehta said. To be sure, chatbots are prone to hallucinations, so Rufus and most of the tools like it can get things wrong . Juozas Kaziukenas, founder of e-commerce intelligence firm Marketplace Pulse, wrote in a November blog post that his firm tested Rufus by requesting gaming TV recommendations. The chatbot's response included products that were not TVs. When asked for the least expensive options, Rufus came back with suggestions that weren't the cheapest, Kaziukenas said. An Associated Press reporter recently asked Rufus to give some gift recommendations for a brother. The chatbot quickly spit out a few ideas for “thoughtful gifts," ranging from a T-shirt and a keychain with charms to a bolder suggestion: a multifunctional knife engraved with the phrase “BEST BROTHER EVER.” After a 5-minute written conversation, Rufus offered more tailored suggestions - a few Barcelona soccer jerseys sold by third-party sellers. But it wasn’t able to say which seller offered the lowest price. When asked during another search for a price comparison on a popular skin serum, Rufus showed the product's pre-discounted price instead of its present one. “Rufus is constantly learning,” Amazon's Mehta said during an interview. Shop AI, a chatbot that Canadian e-commerce company Shopify launched last year, can also help shoppers discover new products by asking its own questions, such as soliciting details about an intended gift recipient or features the buyer wants to avoid. Shop AI has trouble, however, recommending specific products or identifying the lowest-priced item in a product category. The limitations show the technology is still in its infancy and has a long way to go before it becomes as useful as the retail industry - and many shoppers - wish it could be. To truly transform the shopping experience, shopping assistants will “need to be deeply personalized” and be able - on their own - to remember a customer’s order history, product preferences and purchasing habits, consulting giant McKinsey & Company said in an August report. Amazon has noted that Rufus' answers are based on information contained in product listings, community Q&As and customer reviews, which would include the fake reviews that are used to boost or diminish sales for products on its marketplace. The large language model that powers the chatbot was also trained on the company's entire catalog and some public information on the web, Trishul Chilimbi, an Amazon vice president who oversees AI research, wrote in the electrical engineering magazine IEEE Spectrum in October. But its unclear how Amazon and other companies are weighting different training components - such as reviews - in their recommendations, or how exactly the shopping assistants come up with them, according to Nicole Greene, an analyst at management consulting firm Gartner. Perplexity AI's new shopping feature allows users to enter search queries such as “best phone case" and to receive answers derived from various sources, including Amazon and other retailers, such as Best Buy. Perplexity also invited retailers to share data about their products and said those that do would have an increased chance of having their items recommended to shoppers. But Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas, suggested in a recent interview with Fortune magazine that he didn't know how the new shopping feature recommended products to customers. But in an interview with the AP, Chief Business Officer Dmitry Shevelenko pushed back on that characterization, saying Srinivas' comment “was probably taken out of context.” The context, he said, is that with generative AI technology “You can’t know in advance exactly what the output will be just based off of knowing what the inputs” are from the training materials. Shevelenko said retailers and brands need to know they can't have their products recommended in Perplexity's search engine because they're “jamming key words” into their websites or using different techniques to show up better on search results “The way you show up in an answer is by having a better product and better features,” he said.Nothing's guaranteed, but Bucs need to win out to give themselves best shot to make the playoffs
Storm Bert batters Britain: Hundreds of flights are cancelled as strong winds sweep across the country and downpours cause 'unprecedented' flooding - with the wild weather already claiming four lives By OLIVIA ALLHUSEN and FRANKIE ELLIOTT Published: 21:50 GMT, 24 November 2024 | Updated: 21:56 GMT, 24 November 2024 e-mail 10 View comments Hundreds of flights have been cancelled as Storm Bert continues to batter Britain - with the extreme weather already claiming four lives. Torrential downpours, gale-force winds and unprecedented flooding has sparked travel chaos with trains being axed and roads closed across the UK. More than 200 flights have been cancelled so far at Heathrow according to travel data site FlightAware. Meanwhile, Greater Anglia which operates trains from London Liverpool Street to Stanstead Airport, cancelled 52 services on Sunday afternoon as fallen trees damaged the railway’s overhead electric wires. And entry into London Euston yesterday was being limited as a power cut caused chaos with the lighting and customer information boards. Entry into the station was being restricted for around 30 minutes due to it being 'extremely busy' leaving people stranded outside in the cold. Passengers were allowed to go into the station again at just after 6.40pm. It comes as officials in South Wales declared a major incident due to river flooding - as the body of 75-year-old Brian Perry was found after he went missing in the bulging River Conwy on Saturday. Mr Perry is the fourth victim of the killer storm, after yesterday's extreme weather saw thousands of homes left without power and three motorists killed in fatal traffic incidents. North Wales Police said a body had been found in the search for 75-year-old Brian Perry (pictured), who went missing in the River Conwy on Saturday Young farmers with a 4x4 on Clay Lane near Chudleigh Knighton near Newton Abbot in Devon making the most of the flooding from Storm Bert to waterski along the submerged road In Devon, a huge search and rescue mission is also currently underway after there were reports of a person floating in the River Sid during the storm. Yesterday's torrential downpours and high-speed gales also forced the Royal Parks to close all nine of its sites in London - including Kensington Parks, Primrose Hill and Hyde Park . The latter venue was currently hosting the Winter Wonderland event, but bosses confirmed the Christmas extravaganza would not go ahead due to 'the inclement weather conditions'. People's travel plans have also been left in tatters, as no trains are running between Paddington and Cornwall because of the flooding, with severe delays found across all lines. Residents attempt to clear drains to allow the water to subside in Abercarn, Newport Cars in the Cross Keys Rugby Club car park have been submerged in water as a result of Storm Bert Images of underwater cars, fallen trees and closed-off roads were a common scene up and down the country yesterday morning after last night's dramatic storm battered the nation. Communities across the UK had been told to remain on high alert yesterday as well, with more than 200 flood warnings in place for England, Wales and Scotland. There are more than 100 of these warnings in Wales alone, as pictures shared online showed dozens of homes, businesses and a number of schools were affected by flooding. A major incident was declared in the southern region of the country - as rising waters were reported in several towns including Pontypridd, Ebbw Vale and Aberdare. Chris Bryant, the MP for Rhondda and Ogmore, said Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council will work with emergency services to deal with the flooding. In a statement, Mr Bryant added: 'I am deeply saddened to witness the devastation caused by last night's storm and the severe flooding across our communities. 'The flooding across areas in the Rhondda and Ogmore is unprecedented. I have never seen it on this scale before. 'My team and I are working tirelessly to support those impacted, and I want to assure everyone that the Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, Bridgend County Borough Council and Dwr Cymru teams are doing everything in their power to respond to this crisis.' People pour water out of the front garden in Pontypridd, Wales, as officials declare a major incident due to river flooding A temporary damn holding back water from the flooding at Cross Keys Rugby Club in Newport The view of flooding at Cross Keys Rugby Club which includes the Changing rooms and Club house with three vehicles submerged in water People in London battle with the strong winds brought in by Storm Bert A resident in a playground in Abercarn attempts to clear the drains to allow water to subside Some of the lit-up model dinosaurs at Longleat House in Wiltshire toppled over in the 70mph wind Many people have woken up this morning to see broken fences, fallen trees and flooded roads in their neighbourhoods Firefighters pump water from Sion Street on November 24 in Pontypridd Paula Williams, outside her house Pontypridd, Wales which started flooding on Sunday morning Ms Williams at her home in Pontypridd, Wales, where rainwater has managed to get inside Ventusky Privacy Policy Winter Wonderland posted a statement on social media explaining why they Christmas event would not be running on Sunday There are more than 100 of these warnings in Wales alone, as pictures shared online showed homeowners bailing out of their properties next to the River Taff. The A4061 on Bwlch Road, in South Wales, has been closed in both directions following a mountain landslide A car is left stranded after Bwlch Road was forced to shut following the landslide during Storm Bert Firefighters pumping water from a street by the River Taff, in Pontypridd, Wales A family looks at a tree that fell on a car across a residential street due to strong winds in east London People cross London Bridge on a windy bridge in London as national severe weather warnings are in place Residents in Pontypridd, Wales, have shared astonishing pictures of the River Taff flooding Residents in Pontypridd have been forced to wade through the water as their streets were flooded Flood water rushes over a walkway, as rising waters have been reported in towns across the country, including Pontypridd, Ebbw Vale and Aberdare Emergency crews were called as the roaring winds and swirling river ripped through Pontypridd Residents in Wales pour water back into the River Taff near Pontypridd Museum Chris Bryant, the MP for Rhondda and Ogmore, said Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council will work with emergency services to deal with the flooding A dog walker on Wimbledon Common, south west London, braves the strong winds Police had put an appeal out to find Mr Perry after he was last seen at around 4.30pm wearing a red Berghaus waterproof jacket and accompanied by his wife and dog. He had been walking near Gower Road, which has been affected by severe flooding due to Storm Bert. There has been no formal identification but his family have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers. Residents of a flood-hit street in Wales have criticised Natural Resources Wales for not doing enough to prevent the flooding. Paula Williams, whose house on Sion Street in Pontypridd flooded, said: 'We do as much prep as we can when we know there's going to be an issue. 'The river levels were going down last night when we went to bed. 'We only knew something was happening because we had a neighbour knocking us. She was shouting 'get the cars moved'. 'We managed to get the dog out down my parents so we didn't have to worry about her and then it was all hands to the pump.' James Green car which was hit by a falling tree in St Botophls Road in Worthing Rising waters were reported in several towns in Wales The flooding across areas in the Rhondda and Ogmore has been described as 'unprecedented' Residents attend to their properties on Sion Street in Pontypridd, Wales, following flooding Firefighters pumping water from Sion Street by the River Taff, in Pontypridd Residents rescue a car from flood water on Sion Street, in Pontypridd Mounted Police officers at Hyde Park in London, which has been closed to the public during Storm Bert Shopkeepers sweep out floodwater from a shop on Mill Street in Pontypridd A woman's hair is caught in the wind near Hyde Park in London which has been closed to the public during Storm Bert Flooding at a book shop which was due to open on Mill Street in Pontypridd, Wales Ms Williams blamed Natural Resources Wales for not listening to them the last time there was flooding. 'This time, there's only about four inches of water come in but it's in exactly the same place that we told NRW about last time, and they didn't do anything about it. 'They've tried to convince everybody that the flood defences worked. I have got videos proving the flood defences don't work.' She said the water was not coming over their walls and barriers, but up from underneath, forcing its way through their floorboards. 'We had one flood alert yesterday morning at 10 o'clock, which is just the general keep an eye out alert. 'We had the actual flood warning, which is the risk to flooding properties, at about 7.40am this morning but the river had already flooded, it was too late by then.' She said it was the work of them and neighbours fighting to protect the homes that stopped the flooding being as bad as in 2020. She said her neighbours bought pumps from Screwfix to hold back the water and they were lucky the water had come in during the morning when people were awake. More than 200 flood warnings in place for England, Wales and Scotland overnight on Saturday High winds overnight downed trees as Storm Bert swept through Somerset Fields are flooded at Colyford in Devon after the River Axe burst its banks after persistent heavy rain from Storm Bert Claire Instrell, whose home in Pontypridd was flooded four years ago but has avoided water this time, said: 'At eight o'clock this morning, I got knocked up out of bed. 'The neighbours were going around locking everyone's gates last night. 'The council, Natural Resources Wales, haven't done anything, nothing at all.' She said she did not want to sleep in her home on Sunday evening because she worried water could come in during the night. The council said 'significant' flooding has taken place with the 'impact looking to be more significant than the severe impact experienced during Storm Dennis' in 2020. Rest centres have been set up for residents impacted at Pontypridd Library, Ystrad Sports Centre, Sobell Leisure Centre and Cynon Valley Indoor Bowls Centre. A council spokesperson said: 'Throughout the evening the severity of the weather has resulted in widespread impact with over 100 properties potentially flooded, both commercial and residential. 'Council assets have also been damaged, with Lido Ponty, Park and Dare Theatre and a number of schools impacted. Impacted schools will send out direct communications to families to make them aware. Met Office yellow warnings for rain and wind covering large swathes of the country are in force on Sunday Firefighters work to pump water away from flooded residential streets near Moat Park in Dundonald on the outskirts of Belfast after Storm Bert battered the UK on Saturday Fencing has been blown down by strong winds caused by Storm Bert on the set of Bridgerton at Rangers House near Greenwich Park in South East London 'There are a number of highways closures, with a landslip on the Bwlch Mountain Road at Nantymoel closing this road, and South Wales Police closing bridges in Pontypridd. 'The advice to everyone is only travel if absolutely necessary.' In England, emergency crews have swarmed Sidmouth to follow up reports that a person had been seen in the River Sid at 10am yesterday. Police, fire crews, urban search and rescue teams, the ambulance service, coastguard rescue teams and a coastguard helicopter all taking part in the search. Teams searched the river and 'spotters' were placed along the river in 'very testing' conditions due to heavy rain and rough seas. Exeter racecourse also abandoned its day of racing due to having a 'significant amount of rain and strong winds of up to 50mph' this morning. The Met Office says the milder temperatures are causing the snow which covered the north of England and much of Scotland to melt, whilst the high-speed gales are exacerbating the impact of the hefty showers. Residents and business owners in some areas had been told to 'act now' after their communities were placed under red flood warnings - meaning extreme weather is expected and damage is likely. A flooded Cardiff Road in Nantgarw, South Wales as heavy rain is expected to continue falling on Sunday Walkers and sightseers brave the coast in the town of Dawlish, Devon, as Storm Bert hits with huge waves A sign put out at Sandringham House warning of the high winds in the area All nine of London's royal parks have also been closed off from the public, which includes all the cafes, kiosks, park roads & cycleways on the grounds. In a statement posted on social media, the charity said all the parks would be subject to a delayed opening on Monday following a safety inspection. Storm Bert is likely to continue causing 'dangerous coastal conditions' and disruption across southern England and parts of Wales until 9pm on Sunday with a yellow wind warning in place. Some communities may be cut off by flooded roads and closed off bridges, particularly in the west of England. Persistent downpours are also set to hit the south-west of England into Sunday, with a chance that some places over Dartmoor could see 100-150mm of rainfall, the Met Office said. Travel disruption continues into Sunday and ferry operator DFDS has cancelled services on some routes until Monday, including its Newhaven to Dieppe sailings. It comes after as much as 79.8mm of rain fell in Capel Curig, in Snowdonia, on Saturday while in Kinbrace, in the Highlands, it reached lows of -12.4C. Tens of thousands of homes have been without power, with 4,000 homes affected in the Midlands, south-west England and South Wales and 27,000 customers affected in the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire. Police are appealing for any witnesses to come forward after a 34-year-old man died in Shipley, West Yorkshire when his blue Renault Captur smashed into a wall The accident happened just before 1am this morning, with the unknown driver being given emergency treatment but tragically being pronounced dead at the scene Police remained in the area on Saturday to continue investigations into the death of the man A series of emergencies were caused by Storm Bert on Saturday. Police were reportedly searching for a dogwalker they feared could have been swept away by floodwaters in North Wales. The man went missing on Saturday around the river Conwy in the village of Trefriw. Fields around the river often flood in heavy rain, sparking fears he may have been swept up in the swollen waters. The search was launched shortly after 4pm when the alarm was raised by a family member. The fire service rushed water rescue specialist teams to the scene, where they were joined by police, the ambulance service and a Coastguard helicopter, the Daily Post reported. The dog has been safely located, but the man remains missing despite hours of searching. Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Team told the outlet that the rain, melting ice and snow had combined with a high tide to make raise water levels. Maps showing the route of the helicopter, which was fitted with thermal imaging cameras, can see it tracking the river close to the Welsh town. A spokesperson for the coastguard said: 'HM Coastguard was tasked to assist North Wales Police with a search for a missing runner at Llanrwst on 23 November at around 6.15pm. Pictured: A fallen power line in Stokesley, Teesside, as Storm Bert hits the UK A bus had run off the road on the A70 near Lugar in East Ayrshire as Storm Bert bites Traffic at a standstill in bad weather conditions on the M80 near Castlecary, North Lanarkshire A train departs from Waverley Station amidst snowfall during Storm Bert, in Edinburgh, Scotland 'The Coastguard helicopter from Caernarfon was sent alongside Ogwen Mountain Rescue Team. The helicopter concluded the search and has now been stood down.' Airports across the UK have shut and football matches have been cancelled following 16-inch snowfall. And in the Yorkshire town of Todmorden, flood sirens released a terrifying wail as they echoed up the Calder Valley. Winds measuring 70mph are battering coastal areas and melting snow and heavy rain are causing flooding. Gusts of up to 105mph were recorded at Cairngorm Summit in Moray at 10am, Met Office data showed, while temperatures plummeted to -11C in the Highlands. This includes fears of power cuts, travel cancellations, damage to buildings and a danger to life both from large waves and flying debris. In a post on X on Saturday evening, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: 'My thoughts are with all those affected by Storm Bert. 'For those who have lost power, my department will be keeping in close touch with the energy companies as they seek to ensure it is restored as swiftly as possible and help those affected.' Motorists get a push as the battle the strong winds and heavy snow showers in the Cumbrian village of Nenthead this morning A lone vehicle is driven along the snow covered M9 motorway near Stirling People help to push a vehicle uphill in the snow at Stirling Castle, Scotland Two busses are stuck in the snow during Storm Bert, along Frederick Street in Edinburgh And in Leeds the weather is no match for revellers - who headed out on the infamous Otley Run despite the wind and rain Racegoers in Ascot also battled the savage winds - struggling to hang onto their fancy outfits as they attended the plush event A snow plough and gritter clears snow on the M80 near Castlecary, North Lanarkshire An AA vehicle during heavy snowfall at Bannockburn, near Stirling Read More BREAKING NEWS Storm Bert claims three motorists' lives with two crashes and one crushed by a tree Earlier, a 34-year-old man in Shipley, West Yorkshire, was killed when his blue Renault Capture smashed into a wall in icy conditions. Then a man in his 60s died when a tree fell onto his black Mercedes E350. He was confirmed deceased at the scene. Northamptonshire Police have also reported that a man died in a two-car collision on the A45 near Flore at around 8.20am this morning. Five adults and five children had to be rescued from a house in Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog, near Llangollen in north Wales, following a landslide. A North Wales Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said they are all being assessed by ambulance services away from the scene 'somewhere warm'. A further landslide has been reported in the area but it is understood no one has been affected. The strongest gust recorded so far by the Met Office is 82mph at Capel Curig in Conwy, north Wales, with winds of 70mph expected around coastal areas. The storm has been described as a multi-hazard event with snow being followed by warm air moving northwards - bringing high winds. James Green nearly died when a tree fell on his car because of storm Bert Winds measuring 70mph are battering coastal areas and melting snow and heavy rain are causing flooding Heavy rain and brisk winds for parts of England and Wales through Sunday morning 🌧️ Brighter elsewhere, with blustery showers in the northwest 🌦️ #StormBert #WeatherAware ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/cx587Q7aGa — Met Office (@metoffice) November 23, 2024 Traffic at a standstill in bad weather conditions on the M80 near Castlecary, North Lanarkshire Narly 27,000 customers have had their power supply disrupted across the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire A view of the M90 motorway clear of traffic, as the Queensferry Crossing is closed due to the risk of falling ice Read More Taking the pub by storm! Students refuse to let Storm Bert deter them from fancy dress pub crawl Ross Easton, of Energy Networks Association (ENA) - which represents the UK's power network operators, said: 'Forecasters are describing this as a 'multi-hazard event' with the worst of the weather yet to arrive, and so our members have extra engineers and contact centre teams available, and control rooms are monitoring the storm closely as it develops.' Savage winds across the UK have seen trees dangerously falling across roads. One man James Green narrowly escaped death when a tree fell on his car in Worthing. The M48 Severn Bridge in Gloucestershire was closed because of strong winds, and the A66 in County Durham was closed both ways between the A67 and A645 due to snow. Traffic has been at a standstill on the M80 near Castlecary, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. There was also chaos at Newcastle airport as s ome incoming flights were diverted to Belfast and Edinburgh while the airport's snow team tried to minimise disruption. Holidaymakers shared images showing snow-covered runways at both Newcastle and Yorkshire airport, with some even claiming there are 'seven hours plus delays'. Six weather warnings remain in place. Further south, heavy showers are hitting England. A look at the snow covering the runways of Newcastle International Airport Holidaymakers at Newcastle International Airport said the runway was 'decimated' by snow as Storm Bert batters the country Amber warnings have come into place bringing a 'potential risk to life and property' Holidaymakers at Newcastle and Yorkshire airport have reported seven hour plus delays due to heavy snow People are seen sledging at Antony Gormley's Angel of the North Forecasters have warned that the worst of Storm Bert is yet to come People walking in the snow at Stirling Castle in Scotland Read More Jaw-dropping moment kitesurfer battling Storm Bert gales takes off into the air Avanti West Coast cancelled its service between Edinburgh and Carlisle all day on Saturday with the next direct service from Carlisle not scheduled to run until Sunday afternoon. A number of matches in the EFL were called off due to heavy snow and rain battering the pitches, including Bradford against Accrington Stanley and Fleetwood against MK Dons. The Championship football match between Blackburn Rovers at Portsmouth at Ewood Park, Lancashire, was postponed due to torrential rain flooding the pitch. Many fans had already begun their journeys up and down the country to see their teams play on Saturday. Perth and Kinross Council cancelled its annual Perth Christmas lights switch-on event over safety and travel concerns. Ferry operator CalMac - which serves the west coast of Scotland - has cancelled several sailings on Saturday with disruption expected on many other services. A man looks up at the statue of King Robert the Bruce during heavy snowfall at Bannockburn, near Stirling National Highways issued a 'severe weather alert' for snow affecting Yorkshire and north-east England. Pictured: Dore train station in Sheffield covered in snow Storm Bert hits the coastal town of Dawlish, Devon as the sea batters the coast as walkers and sightseers come out to see the spectacle and get engulfed in the surf A trains makes it's way along the track towards Exeter as the sea batters the coastal defenses in Dawlish, Kent P&O Ferries also said it had cancelled the 4am sailing between Larne in Northern Ireland and Cairnryan in Scotland's south west on Saturday. Met Office warnings for this weekend Amber warning for snow Northern Scotland Saturday, 7am to 5pm Up to 1ft 4in (40cm) Yellow warning for rain and snow Scotland, Northern England and East Midlands Saturday 4am to Sunday 9am Up to 8in (20cm) of snow Up to 1.6in (40mm) of rain Yellow warning for wind Coastal areas across UK Saturday 5am to Sunday 7pm Wind gusts of up to 70mph Yellow warning for rain and snow Northern Ireland Saturday 00.01am to 11am Up to 8in (20cm) of snow Up to 1.6in (40mm) of rain Yellow warning for wind Southern England Saturday 3pm to 9pm Wind gusts of up to 70mph Yellow warning for rain Wales and South West England Saturday 6am until Sunday 6am Up to 5in (150mm) Advertisement A second amber warning will be in place between 7am and midday on Saturday covering parts of Yorkshire and the north east of England. Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern said the storm's arrival was following a 'relatively quiet' night on Friday with temperatures at around minus 4C across parts of Scotland and minus 1C in eastern England. 'We'll see two to four hours of heavy snow across parts of northern England and Scotland during Saturday morning,' Mr McGivern said. 'This snow will accumulate thick and fast, with five to 10cm at lower levels and as much as 20 to 40cm over hills accompanied by strong winds. 'You can expect blizzards over hills across northern England and Scotland, atrocious conditions for travelling and going over the hills and also the risk of power interruptions because of snow build up on power lines. 'So all in all, a multiple hazard event as we go into Saturday morning.' He said temperatures will rise quickly as the storm brings with it milder air from the Atlantic, resulting in a 'rapid thaw' by the afternoon. 'The melting snow and the heavy rain could lead to localised flooding in places but the wettest spots would be Wales, in the South West, particularly over south-facing hills, that's where we're likely to see gales and certainly the risk of impacts from wind as well as from rain,' the meteorologist said. Rail companies issued announcements of service changes ahead of the weekend. In Scotland, there will be speed restrictions on the West Highland Line, Highland Mainline, Stranraer line, Glasgow South Western Line, Far North Line, and West Coast Mainline between Carstairs and the border. ScotRail has withdrawn services from Inverness to Elgin, Aberdeen to Inverurie, and Glasgow Queen Street to Oban while trains from Glasgow Central to Carlisle will terminate at Dumfries. South Western Rail (SWR) asked passengers to only travel west of Basingstoke if their journeys are essential. A group of girls enjoy the night out in fancy dress - refusing to let the freezing cold affect their fun Others laughed as they headed out on their night out on the Otley Run in the northern city But groups of pals all laughed as they vowed to make the most of the night - whatever the weather Racegoers were struggling to hang onto their umbrellas at Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire Storm Bert wreaked havoc at the plush event as it destroyed umbrellas and carefully-prepared hairdos Some attendees laughed through the chaotic weather, making the most of the day of racing Others continued to forge ahead with fancy outfits and hats as they attended the historic event People wait in the snow for the Christmas Market to open during Storm Bert, along Princes Street in Edinburgh A man clears snow at the M9 motorway services near Stirling as Storm Bert batters the country Rail companies are urging passengers to avoid travelling to certain areas and some warned of reduced services. Pictured: a cyclist in Sheffield battles snow Tree surgeons clear up a fallen tree on Wimbledon Common south-west London this morning as the Met office issue yellow weather warnings for Storm Bert A look at the chaos that is being caused on the roads on the A66 as well as thick snow in East Durham Shoppers and commuters rush for shelter as they brave strong winds and teeming rain in Whitley Bay, North Tyneside Dog walkers brave strong winds and teeming rain in North Tyneside this morning Yellow wind, rain and snow warnings cover much of the rest of the UK on Saturday and into Sunday Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern said the storm's arrival was following a 'relatively quiet' night on Friday Heavy snow falls at the Lagangarbh Hut in Glencoe, Scotland. The Met Office said Storm Bert is expected to bring 'heavy rain, strong winds and disruptive snow to parts of the UK' Corgarff Castle in Aberdeenshire, surrounded by snow on Friday An abandoned car by the A635 Holmfirth Road on Saddleworth Moor in West Yorkshire on Friday Network Rail Western tweeted this image of snow on a train in Devon on Friday, saying: 'Heavy snow means that no trains are able to run to Barnstaple until noon, or Okehampton until 4pm' Ryan Phillips walks Arty the Siberian Husky through the snow in the grounds of Balmoral on Friday Rough seas near the Tynemouth Pier lighthouse on the River Tyne on Friday morning SWR announced services between Exeter and London Waterloo will start and finish at Basingstoke, that journey times will be longer between Salisbury and Exeter and between Bournemouth and Weymouth due to speed restrictions, and services across its network will start later than usual on Sunday and Monday because of safety inspections. Met Office UK storm names for 2024/2025 Ashley Bert Conall Darragh Éowyn Floris Gerben Hugo Izzy James Kayleigh Lewis Mavis Naoise Otje Poppy Rafi Sayuri Tilly Vivienne Wren Advertisement In the capital, Shepherds Bush tube station was closed due to flooding. An emergency response unit was dispatched by TfL to reopen it. TransPennine Express 'strongly' urged customers not to travel north of Carlisle on Saturday while Avanti West Coast advised passengers not to travel north of Preston - including Lancaster, Oxenholme, Penrith, Carlisle, Glasgow and Edinburgh. UK airports were not anticipating disruption. A spokesperson for Birmingham Airport said: 'Whilst we are not anticipating disruption at this time... we will continue to keep a close eye on the situation, as Storm Bert moves in.' Manchester Airport said 'we're expecting bad weather but aren't anticipating any disruption' while Newcastle Airport said it will be operating as normal overnight with teams 'fully prepared to respond should conditions deteriorate'. Clean-up operations are now under way after Storm Bert swept across Ireland, causing flooding and thousands of power outages. Power cuts affected 60,000 customers at the height of the outage; ESB teams are still working to restore supplies to the thousands still left without electricity. Status red rain warnings were in place for Cork and Galway until 10am on Saturday, with an orange alert for rain in place for counties Waterford, Kerry, Clare, Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim. Bridge Street in Killybegs, Co Donegal, is among the areas worst-hit by the storm - with homes, businesses and charities along the street affected by dramatic flooding overnight. A car in a ditch down a winding country lane during an icy spell in Dunsden, Oxfordshire, on Friday In the capital, Shepherds Bush tube station was closed due to flooding. An emergency response unit (pictured) was dispatched by TfL to reopen it A road is closed as the Queensferry Crossing is closed due to the risk of falling ice, as a result of Storm Bert, near Edinburgh The River Blackwater bursts its banks and floods Mallow Racecourse in Mallow, County Cork A car drives through water along the A90, as a result of Storm Bert, in Cramond near Edinburgh Storm Bert hits the coastal town of Dawlish, Devon as the sea batters the coast as walkers and sightseers come out to see the spectacle Cars are driven in snowy conditions in Stirling, Scotland after Storm Bert hits A man helps to clear snow in Stirling, Scotland after Storm Bert blocked roads Rebecca Mullen, of The Flour House bakery in Riverstick, Co Cork, said that Storm Babet flooded the bakery last October, and the bakery had flooded again after Storm Bert There was also bad flooding in west Limerick, where the Feale River burst its banks, and on roads in Galway and Cork. Rebecca Mullen, of The Flour House bakery in Riverstick, Co Cork, said that Storm Babet flooded the bakery last October, and the bakery had flooded again after Storm Bert. They had received grants from the Red Cross to help them through the last flood where a lot of damage was done. In Northern Ireland, the Department for Infrastructure said its roads and rivers teams responded to more than 500 incidents since the yellow alert for rain and snow was issued overnight. It said that roads across counties Tyrone, Down and Antrim were blocked by trees and flood waters, and properties were flooded in Dundonald, Kilcoo, Coalisland and Ballinamallard as well a Royal Mail property in Mallusk. 'The Emergency Flooding Payment Scheme has been activated by the Department for Communities,' it said. 'The weather warning has now passed and although most rivers have now peaked, staff continue to liaise with multi-agency partners and to monitor water levels and remove debris from watercourses to help floodwaters to get away. 'Flooding was prevented in many areas due to the proactive screen maintenance work being undertaken by staff who continue to monitor watercourses. 'Please report any incidents of flooding to the Flooding Incident Line 0300 2000 100.' Wales Perth Share or comment on this article: Storm Bert batters Britain: Hundreds of flights are cancelled as strong winds sweep across the country and downpours cause 'unprecedented' flooding - with the wild weather already claiming four lives e-mail Add comment