Gatwick Airport may be hit with delays and disruptions as the Atlantic storm bring winds of up to 70mph on Saturday. The combination of wind and rain means there’s a potential for disruption to air travel.

Will Gatwick airport be closed or open when Storm Dennis hits UK?

Storm Dennis follows hot on the heels of last weekend’s Storm Ciara.

There was travel chaos last weekend and with Storm Dennis likely to match Ciara, it could lead to the closing of airports.

Storm Ciara led to the cancellation of 80 flights from Gatwick last week, with several others delayed.

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But it wasn’t just flights that were badly affected by the Atlantic storm.

Getting to Gatwick Airport was also made difficult by the wind and the rain.

The Gatwick Express, which connects the airport in Sussex to London Victoria station, warned passengers not to travel at all.

After the Met Office worsened its forecast, services on the Gatwick Express, Southern, Thameslink and Great Northern networks.

A Gatwick Express statement published last week stated: “Storm Ciara will bring exceptionally high winds and heavy rain across the network, with the risks of debris blown onto the railway, damage to overhead power lines, fallen trees and landslips.

“If a major incident were to occur, it is unlikely that we would be able to put rail replacement buses in place, meaning you would not be able to complete your journey.

“We’ve been working with Network Rail to understand the biggest risks, and we’re now making efforts to prevent issues, wherever possible.”

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There is a yellow warning in place for Saturday that covers Gatwick Airport.

And on Sunday, an amber warning for has been issued because of “heavy and prolonged rain”.

Passengers travelling to Gatwick are advised to check conditions before they leave.

A spokesman for Gatwick Airport said they were working closely with their allies but there were no measures in place to deal with the effects of the storm as of yet.

He added the airport would wait for the latest forecasts before taking any necessary action.

Despite airports not yet revealing whether Storm Dennis will cause delays, the Met Office has warned heavy wind will impact most of England and Scotland this weekend.

According to the Met Office, travel delays to cars, ferries and planes are possible.

The Met Office said: “Strong winds in association with Storm Dennis are expected on Saturday and Sunday across many parts of England and Wales.

“The strongest winds are likely to be on Saturday afternoon and evening, with a lull for a time overnight, before increasing again during early Sunday.

“Gusts of 50 mph are expected inland.

“Around the coasts, especially in the west and south, gusts of 60-70 mph are likely.”

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