Tens of thousands of people were without electricity and hundreds of trains were cancelled and some planes diverted on Monday after the latest in a wave of winter storms – nine since September – lashed Britain and Ireland with heavy rain and wind gusts of almost 160 km an hour.

The UK’s Met Office weather service had issued an unusual blanket wind warning for the whole country before Storm Isha, which reached its peak overnight. The Tay Road Bridge, a 2.2-km span over the River Tay estuary in Scotland, recorded a 172 kph gust, it announced on social media.

Ireland and the UK have been hammered since fall by a series of gusty and wet storms that have toppled trees, knocked out power, and led to flooding along river valleys.

The railway operator for Scotland halted train service Sunday night and into Monday’s rush hour. Network Rail, which owns the railway infrastructure in England, Scotland, and Wales, said it was placing speed limits on most lines to prevent engines from running into fallen trees and other debris, and trains would be affected into the morning commute.

Several major roads in Scotland and northern England were shut because of high winds, downed trees, or overturned trucks.

Chief Superintendent Davy Beck of the Police Service of Northern Ireland said many roads there remained impassable Monday morning.

In County Antrim in Northern Ireland, three trees were blown down at Dark Hedges, a roadway lined with majestic beeches that became a popular tourist destination after being featured as Kingsroad in “Game of Thrones.”

The trees are said to be about 250 years old and are approaching the end of their typical life span. Several have been toppled by other storms.

“This is another blow to the Dark Hedges,” said Mervyn Storey, chair of the Dark Hedges Preservation Trust. “In fact, one of the trees that was healthy has been blown down. It is very sad.”

Planes bound for several airports were diverted — including a flight from the Canary Islands to Dublin that ended up in Bordeaux, France.

Some 230,000 homes and businesses were without electricity in Ireland, and 40,000 lacked power in neighbouring Northern Ireland.

A 10th storm named Jocelyn is due to bring more wind and rain on Tuesday and Wednesday.