Storm Floris, the sixth named storm of the 2024-25 season, has brought gusts of over 100mph, causing widespread travel disruption, power cuts, and event cancellations across the UK. The storm, which is the strongest named storm to occur in August since the naming process began in 2015, has primarily affected central and northern Scotland, with an amber weather warning in place until 11pm on Monday.
The Met Office recorded a gust of 134mph at the summit of Cairn Gorm in the Highlands, while the strongest gust away from mountains was 80mph at South Uist. An amber warning for much of Scotland warns of a danger to life, with police advising against unnecessary travel. A yellow warning is in place for southern Scotland, Northern Ireland, parts of north Wales, and northern England, warning of unseasonably strong winds until midnight.
Rail travel has been severely disrupted, with LNER advising passengers not to travel north of Newcastle and Avanti West Coast advising against travel north of Preston. ScotRail imposed a blanket 50mph speed restriction and stopped many services at midday. Network Rail warned that disruption may continue into Tuesday as crews work to clear fallen trees and debris. The Forth Bridge was closed to double-decker buses, motorcyclists, and pedestrians, while the Tyne Bridge in Newcastle was closed to all traffic.
Aviation has also been affected, with 68 flights cancelled from UK airports, including 12 at Aberdeen. The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo cancelled Monday's performance for the first time in its 75-year history due to weather, and numerous Edinburgh Festival Fringe events were also called off. Edinburgh Zoo closed at lunchtime due to escalating wind speeds.
Power cuts have affected thousands of homes, with Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) working to restore power to 22,500 properties in the Highlands and north-east Scotland. SSEN's director of customer operations, Andy Smith, described Floris as the strongest summer storm seen in a very long time. The storm has also caused school exam result delays in Orkney, Shetland, and the Western Isles.
Dr Jess Neumann, an associate professor of hydrology at the University of Reading, warned that summer storms pose added dangers during peak holiday time when people may be in unfamiliar places. Lorna Slater, Scottish Green co-leader, said the storm highlights the need for urgent action on the climate crisis, noting that such storms are becoming more common and severe.
