Extreme weather in the UK - in pictures

A woman stands in flood water in Rhyl, Wales Photograph: Peter Byrne/PA

A man walks through the floods in Rhyl, Wales Photograph: Peter Byrne/PA

The RNLI rescues people from homes affected by the floods in Rhyl, Wales Photograph: Peter Byrne/PA

A woman gets caught in the spray from a huge wave hitting the seafront in Wales Photograph: Peter Byrne/PA

The high tide floods Blackpool's main promenade Photograph: John Giles/PA

Blackpool's main promenade following a tidal surge Photograph: John Giles/PA

Waves crash against Portstewart harbour as gale-force winds hit the the north Antrim coast Photograph: Cathal Mcnaughton/Reuters

White foam driven in from the sea spreads through streets in Blackpool Photograph: John Giles/PA

Huge waves engulf Whitehaven harbour in Cumbria on Thursday morning as gale-force winds cause havoc throughout the country Photograph: North News & Pictures Ltd

Debris from the sea is strewn across the road after a high tide in Blackpool Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images

Commuters hold on to a lamppost in strong winds in Bridgewater Place, Leeds, West Yorkshire Photograph: Gabriel Szabo/Guzelian

High winds and sea batter the Antrim coast road in Northern Ireland Photograph: Paul Faith/PA

High winds and sea batter the Antrim coast road, Northern Ireland Photograph: Paul Faith/PA

Police at the scene where a lorry toppled onto cars on the A801 in West Lothian as gale-force winds brought widespread disruption Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA

The village of Allonby in the Lake District, Cumbria, as heavy seas and high tides sweep across the country Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA

Storm clouds gather over Aberdeen airport Photograph: Ross Johnston/Newsline Scotland

The Forth road bridge in Scotland was closed to all traffic at rush hour on Thursday morning Photograph: Gordon Jack

Windy weather and storms in the north of England lay behind a rash of lorry accidents and incidents on the A168 Photograph: Jonathan Pow

A fallen tree lands on a car in Davidsons Mains, Edinburgh Photograph: David Cheskin/PA

Trees upended and blown down in Kelvin Way, Glasgow Photograph: Paul Stewart/Demotix/Corbis

Workers clear up debris after a tree fell in high winds and landed on a passing car in Solihull, Birmingham Photograph: Joe Giddens/PA

An overturned lorry on the M6 amid strong winds across the UK Photograph: Dave Thompson/PA

A woman walks past a fallen tree on Kelvin Way, Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow Photograph: Paul Stewart/Demotix/Corbis

A glimpse of a blue sky in Saltburn, as a man walks his dog along the lower promenade Photograph: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images

An emergency rescue service worker walks through flood water in a residential street in Rhyl, north Wales Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters

Sea foam whipped inland by high winds continues to collect on Blackpool's main promenade Photograph: John Giles/PA

A man braves the elements during severe gales in Belfast city centre, Northern Ireland Photograph: Peter Morrison/AP