Multiple stages remain shut at Leeds Festival after Storm Lilian causes chaos (2024)

Sam Corbishley

Ben Ashton

The newly-opened Chevron stage at Leeds Festival took a battering on Friday, as you can see by these images.

It was a debut night to forget as Skirllex’s headline set was axed due to the shocking weather.

Organisers said on Friday: ‘We are able to be reasonably sure the Chevron will be fit to play tomorrow and will be opened by The Useless Hotline at midday.’

Ben Ashton

The newly-opened Chevron stage at Leeds Festival took a battering on Friday, as you can see by these images.

It was a debut night to forget as Skirllex’s headline set was axed due to the shocking weather.

Organisers said on Friday: ‘We are able to be reasonably sure the Chevron will be fit to play tomorrow and will be opened by The Useless Hotline at midday.’

Ben Ashton

There were some pretty big names scheduled to play on the BBC Radio 1 stage at Leeds Festival this weekend.

It’s still not yet known if any of them will be able to perform on any other stages or if that means that’s that altogether.

Here’s a look at some of the biggest acts that were due to play each evening this bank holiday weekend:

Friday night: Confidence Man, David Kushner, Jorja Smith

Saturday night: Jesse, Ashnikko, Beabadoobee

Sunday night: Overmond, Skraptz, The Wombats

Ben Ashton

Sad times for anyone hoping to catch their favourite artists on the BBC Radio 1 stage at Leeds Festival today… the stage is shut.

Storm Lilian did her thing and rendered the makeshift arena unusable for the rest of the week end.

Organisers said in a statement issued yesterday: ‘Unfortunately the health and safety team have now confirmed we will not be able use the BBC Radio 1 tent & stage tomorrow [Saturday] or Sunday. We are devastated for you and of course the artists that were eager to play.

‘That is the same for the Aux stage too. Mother nature has played her part.’

Ben Ashton

It’s not just wet, windy and generally completely miserable today – we could also be in for some dramatic thunderstorms later on.

The Met Office has warned the south east in particular could get some rumbling claps this afternoon.

Forecasters said of the outlook for London and surrounding areas today: ‘Starting wet and windy with persistent rain, this occasionally heavy.

‘Winds especially strong on southeast coasts, gradually easing. Rain clearing into the afternoon, but followed by blustery showers, perhaps locally heavy and thundery.’

Ben Ashton

The Met Office has shared a graphic this morning showing the severity of the rainfall across the UK.

A brutal weather front is battering parts of the country, in particular the south east.

It’s pretty much a washout for many who might have been hoping for a summer bank holiday BBQ or the like.

Forecasters have also warned of potential flooding and urged people to ‘take extra care’ if travelling.

Ben Ashton

And here’s another clip from yesterday morning at Leeds Festival…

Ben Ashton

If you were looking for some context over how windy it’s been at Leeds Festival because of Storm Lilian, then here you go.

One festival goer filmed a tent flying through the air after it was swept away by strong gusts.

Someone will be without a bed for the weekend now…

Ben Ashton

Ben Ashton

Ahh the summer bank holiday weekend… normally you’d imagine bright blue skies and glorious sunshine.

Not this time unfortunately, folks. It’s quite the opposite, especially if you’re in the south east of England today.

The Met Office’s chief meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said: ‘The weekend’s weather will start on a damp note for southern and eastern England, with 15-30mm of rain likely to fall in the warning area quite widely, with 50-70mm possible in a few spots where heavier bursts of rain converge.

‘Rainfall intensity will decrease in the afternoon, leaving some showers in southern England, as well as further showers in the northwest.’

Ben Ashton

This map shows the areas affected by the Met Office weather warning for rain today.

The yellow alert is in place until 1pm and forecasters say up to 70mm of rain could fall.

Kent is completely covered by the washout, while areas of London, East Sussex and Hampshire are also impacted.

Ben Ashton

At least two stages have been shut at Leeds Festival after strong winds from Storm Lilian battered the site yesterday.

Artists have been left unable to perform after the gale-force winds wreaked havoc in West Yorkshire throughout yesterday, forcing stages to close and organisers to urge attendees to stay in their tents.

The BBC Radio 1 and Aux stages will be shut today and tomorrow. ‘Mother nature has played her part,’ organisers said.

But there is a chance Chevron, the festival’s second largest stage will reopen today.

‘This is actual hell,’ wrote one festival-goer on X yesterday. ‘Everyone’s tents are broken – it’s not safe.’

Lilian has caused chaos across the country, from train delays and cancellations due to downed trees to thousands of power cuts and some flooding.

The storm itself has since passed, the Met Office says, though strong winds and heavy rains will continue to grip Britain today. The strongest winds seen yesterday were 73mph in Capel Curig, a village in Wales.

Josh Milton

There is, alas.

A yellow weather warning for heavy rain is in effect from 6am to 1pm today, stretching across more or less all of east, southeast and south London. Large parts of Essex and the South East coast are also affected.

Up to 70mm of rain is expected in some areas, the Met Office says. The rain could upend public transport and cause delays on the roads.

A chance of flooding is strong – there is one flood warning in Kenswick Campsite as well as 23 flood alerts where flooding is possible nationwide.

Josh Milton

The picture this morning isn’t exactly the sunniest this morning, according to the Met Office.

You can read its forecast for the day ahead here:

Rain moving eastwards across the south, showers later.

Today, heavy rain moves across the south through the morning, clearing the southeast by the afternoon. Sunshine and heavy showers follow, with winds increasing in the north to begin with but turning drier in the southwest later. Feeling cooler.

Tonight, daytime showers becoming confined to the far north and west. Turning drier with clear spells elsewhere. Wind easing overnight and feeling cooler than previous nights.

Tomorrow, cloud and wind generally increasing from the west with rain and showers becoming persistent for the north. Drier in the southeast but turning windy through the afternoon.

Tom Sanders

The Met Office has urged people to ‘avoid trees’ and other falling debris as yellow weather warnings are in place across the country due to Storm Lilian.

The forecaster advised people to stay safe and avoid sheltering near buildings or trees due to the risk of falling debris and branches.

Met Office Chief Meteorologist Jason Kelly said: ‘Storm Lilian will bring some potentially damaging gusts during Friday morning, with gusts widely in the 50-60mph range, with the possibility of some gusts in excess of 75mph in a few places.

‘There’s associated rainfall with Lilian that has also resulted in a Met Office warning for parts of Scotland. Within the warning area, another 50mm of rain is possible over high ground, with 20-30mm falling quite widely.

‘Much of this is falling on saturated ground so increases the chance of some surface water flooding.’

Tom Sanders

Indie group Corella said they were ‘absolutely gutted’ their dream of playing the main stage at Leeds Festival was cancelled due to bad weather.

In a post on Twitter, lead singer Joel Smith said: ‘The weather has not been on our side and the safety of our fans come first.

‘We are absolutely gutted, to play the main stage at Leeds was a dream, but we will be back.’

Tom Sanders

Leeds Festival organisers have announced that three stages will be closed all weekend due to gale-force winds caused by Storm Lilian.

In a statement on X, the organisers said: ‘Unfortunately the health and safety team have now confirmed we will not be able use the BBC Radio 1 tent & stage tomorrow or Sunday.

‘We are devastated for you and of course the artists that were eager to play. That is the same for the Aux stage too. Mother nature has played her part.

‘On the positive side, we are able to be reasonably sure the Chevron will be fit to play tomorrow and will be opened by The Useless Hotline at midday.’

Tom Sanders

A lorry driving across the Humber Bridge earlier today was almost blown off the side after powerful winds saw the vehicle teeter dangerously close to the edge of the suspension bridge.

Cars behind the lorry can be seen slowing down as the vehicle comes swerves back and forth before eventually coming to a halt.

Watch the clip below:

Tom Sanders

StormLilian is the 12th named storm of the season, and the first time the letter L has been used for the name.

Storm season, which runs from the start of September to the end of the following August, has only reached K twice since the Met Office began naming storms in 2015.

There were only two storms during last year’s season, which ran from September 2022 to August 2023, which made it only as far as the letter B, with Storm Betty in August.

By contrast, this year’s season has recorded Storm Agnes in September 2023; Babet in October; Ciaran and Debi in November; Elin, Fergus and Gerrit in December; Henk, Isha and Jocelyn in January 2024; Kathleen in April; and nowLilianin August.

Not all of the alphabet is used when naming storms.

The letters Q, U, X, Y and Z are omitted, in line with convention established by the US National Hurricane Centre.

It means the storm names still available for the current season, which ends next week, are Minnie, Nicholas, Olga, Piet, Regina, Stuart, Tamiko, Vincent and Walid.