Warning: Amber
To expect: Wind
Affected areas: Central, Tayside and Fife, Grampian, Highlands and Eilean Siar, Orkney and Shetland, Strathclyde
Start time estimate: Friday 2pm
End time estimate: Saturday 7am
The Met Office has issued an Amber wind warning for Central, Tayside and Fife, Grampian, Highlands and Eilean Siar, Orkney and Shetland and Strathclyde across the UK for Friday and Saturday amid Storm Éowyn.
The warning is covering parts of Central, Tayside and Fife, Grampian, Highlands and Eilean Siar, Orkney and Shetland, Strathclyde. All local areas affected are listed below.
Severe winds are set to sweep through the regions on Friday at around 2pm. The strong gusts are expected to continue battering the areas until Saturday 7am.
The Amber alert for wind was issued at 11:42am on Thursday, January 23.
A Met Office forecast said: “Storm Éowyn will move across the northwest of the UK on Friday, clearing to the northeast on Friday night and through Saturday morning. This will bring a spell of very strong west to southwesterly winds, with peak gusts of 60-70 mph fairly widely inland, 70-80 mph in some areas, and 80-90 mph along more exposed coasts and hills (perhaps even higher in a few locations). Winds will gradually ease from the south during Friday night and Saturday morning.”
What to expect
Flying debris is likely and could lead to Injuries or danger to life; Probably some damage to buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs; Longer journey times and cancellations likely, as road, rail, air and ferry services may be affected; Some roads and bridges likely to close; There is a good chance that power cuts may occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage.
What should you do?
Prepare to protect your property and people from injury.
Check for loose items outside your home and plan how you could secure them. Items include: bins, garden furniture, trampolines, tents, sheds, and fences.
Give yourself the best chance of avoiding delays by checking road conditions if driving, or bus and train timetables, amending your travel plans if necessary.
People cope better with power cuts when they have prepared for them in advance. It’s easy to do: consider gathering torches and batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essential items.
If you are on the coast, stay safe during stormy weather by being aware of large waves. Even from the shore large breaking waves can sweep you off your feet and out to sea.
Take care if walking near cliffs; know your route and keep dogs on a lead. In an emergency, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.
Be prepared for weather warnings to change quickly. When a weather warning is issued, the Met Office recommends staying up to date with the weather forecast in your area.
For further details see https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/uk-warnings.
Full list of local regions affected
Central, Tayside and Fife
Angus, Perth and Kinross, Stirling
Grampian
Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray
Highlands and Eilean Siar
Eilean Siar, Highland
Orkney and Shetland
Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands
Strathclyde
Argyll and Bute
What is an amber weather warning?
The Met Office has three categories of weather warning, depending on the likely impact of severe weather and also how likely it is to strike in a particular area.
A yellow warning is issued when weather conditions are expected to disrupt travel and traffic and may impact on daily routines but are not likely to pose a risk to life or property.
An amber warning is more severe and advises people to think about changing their plans to minimise the risk.
A red warning means weather conditions are expected to be dangerous with widespread damage to property and a risk to life, with the public usually advised to avoid travelling.
The Amber weather alert for wind will remain in effect until 7am on Saturday.