The remains of Hurricane Gonzalo slam the UK

After battering Bermuda, the storm is now turning its attention to the British Isles.

The remnants of Hurricane Gonzalo bear down on the British Isles [Getty Images]

The remains of Hurricane Gonzalo slam the UK
After battering Bermuda, the storm is now turning its attention to the British Isles.

Hurricane Gonzalo smashed into the island of Bermuda as a category 2 storm on Friday, bringing sustained winds of 180 kph (110 mph).

Gonzalo then headed northwards and brushed past eastern Canada on Sunday.

Despite travelling over waters colder than 10°C, Gonzalo still maintained its tropical characteristics as it edged closer to Canada. Cape Pine, on the southern tip of Newfoundland, measured a gust of 106 kph (66mph).

The storm then sprinted across the Atlantic, and is now battering the UK.

Gonzalo is no longer classed as a hurricane, but it is still quite a dangerous storm. The UK Met Office has issued warnings of winds up to 130kph, which will be accompanied by severe thunderstorms. Hail and heavy downpours are expected across many parts of the country.

Although the worst of the winds are expected in the north of the British Isles, the strong winds will affect the whole country.

Heathrow Airport and National Air Traffic Services took the decision to reduce the schedule at Heathrow, allowing a lower number of aircraft to land each hour for safety reasons.

One in ten flights are expected to be cancelled in Heathrow, which will affect thousands of passengers during the day.

Source: Al Jazeera