Storm Éowyn is set to wreak havoc across Scotland later this week, battering the country with 90mph winds. The Met Office has issued a number of weather warnings for later in the week.
And the national forecaster’s latest alert is a rare Amber “danger to life” warning. The high winds expected across Scotland and the UK are expected to cause major disruption at the end of the week.
The Amber alert is in place from 6am on Friday, January 24, until 9pm the same day. The warning covers all of southern and central Scotland, stretching from Angus in the east to Oban on the west coast and beyond to the Inner Hebrides, including Tiree, Mull, Islay, and Jura.
The warning was upgraded from yellow as the Met Office has “increased confidence” that the regions covered by the alert will be majorly impacted by the weatherfront.
Storm Éowyn will hit the UK early on Friday morning after being pushed across the Atlantic by a 250mph jet stream. Strong gusts of 60-70mph are expected widely across the regions covered by the Amber warning, which also includes Northern Ireland and parts of northern England and Wales.
Some of the worst affected inland areas could see strong winds of 70-80mph, with hillier and exposed coastal regions – especially the west of Scotland – expected to be blasted by gales of 80-90mph.
The Met Office has said that the high winds could cause flying debris and see huge waves battering sea fronts, which would put people at risk of severe injury or even death.
Power cuts are to be expected due to the high winds, which could also impact other services, such as mobile phone coverage. Power lines may be blown down, according to the forecaster, and buildings and homes could be damaged by the galeforce blasts.
For those travelling on Friday, the Met Office has issued a warning to expect delays no matter what method of transport you are using. Drivers should be prepared for longer journey times, while those travelling by rail, air, and ferry are likely to experience delays or cancellations on their planned routes.
The Met Office has warned people across the UK to plan to secure loose items outside their home, including bins and garden furniture. To prepare for power cuts, people should “consider gathering torches and batteries”.
Regions and local authorities affected by the amber weather warning
Central, Tayside & Fife
- Angus
- Clackmannanshire
- Dundee
- Falkirk
- Fife
- Perth and Kinross
- Stirling
Grampian
- Aberdeenshire
Highlands & Eilean Siar
- Highland
SW Scotland, Lothian Borders
- Dumfries and Galloway
- East Lothian
- Edinburgh
- Midlothian Council
- Scottish Borders
- West Lothian
Strathclyde
- Argyll and Bute
- East Ayrshire
- East Dunbartonshire
- East Renfrewshire
- Glasgow
- Inverclyde
- North Ayrshire
- North Lanarkshire
- Renfrewshire
- South Ayrshire
- South Lanarkshire
- West Dunbartonshire
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