The winds were already at storm force and gaining strength.

Severe weather conditions are forecast, with winds up to storm force 10 forecastlater.

Much of the year, however, Fair Isle basks in the kind of weather most familiar fromthe timeless cadences of the Shipping Forecast: 'southwesterly, gale force eight,increasing storm force ten, imminent.'

Storm-force winds gusting at more than 100mph off the Outer Hebrides battered a trawlerin the North Sea.

A combination of swollen rivers, storm-force winds and exceptionally high tides sentwater bursting through sea walls and river banks.