Warning: Yellow
To expect: Wind
Affected areas: Central, Tayside and Fife, Highlands and Eilean Siar, Northern Ireland, Strathclyde
Start time estimate: Sunday 9pm
End time estimate: Monday noon
The Met Office has announced a Yellow wind warning for several regions across the UK for Sunday and Monday.
The warning is covering parts of Central, Tayside and Fife, Highlands and Eilean Siar, Northern Ireland, Strathclyde. All local areas affected are listed below.
The regions will be affected by gale-force winds, starting at around 9pm on Sunday. The strong gusts will continue battering the areas until Monday noon.
The Yellow alert for wind was issued at 12:22pm on Saturday, January 10.
A Met Office forecast said: “A spell of strong southwesterly winds is likely to develop on Sunday evening. Initially in the south of the warning area, the swathe of strongest winds will move northwards across the area with time. Gusts around coasts could reach 60-70 mph with a small risk of 80 mph in the most exposed locations. Inland gusts of 40-50 mph are likely.”
What to expect
There is a small chance of injuries and danger to life from flying debris; There is a slight chance of some damage to buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs; There is a small chance of longer journey times or cancellations as road, rail, air and ferry services are affected; There is a small chance that some roads and bridges could close; There is a slight chance that power cuts may occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage; There is a small chance that injuries and danger to life could occur from large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties.
What should you do during high winds?
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 Met Office Warnings & Advice.
Full list of local areas affected
Central, Tayside and Fife
Perth and Kinross, Stirling
Highlands and Eilean Siar
Eilean Siar, Highland
Northern Ireland
County Antrim, County Londonderry, County Tyrone
Strathclyde
Argyll and Bute, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, West Dunbartonshire
What is a yellow 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 Yellow weather alert for wind will remain in effect until noon on Monday.