Many schools across the UK have been forced to close as Storm Amy, the first named storm of the season, brings damaging winds and heavy rain.
In Northern Ireland, the Education Authority instructed schools in counties Antrim, Londonderry, Tyrone and Fermanagh to close at noon, citing the safety of children and staff. An amber warning for damaging winds is in place from 3pm to 8pm on Friday, with the potential for power cuts and flying debris.
In Scotland, several schools have also shut. Glassary Primary School in Argyll and Bute is closed due to flooding, while Dingwall Primary and its nursery in the Highlands are shut. In the Western Isles, all schools and nurseries in Uist and Barra will close at lunchtime; schools in Harris and Lewis will close at the usual time, but nursery provision will close simultaneously.
The Met Office has issued an amber warning for damaging winds across northern and western Scotland from 5pm Friday to 9am Saturday, with gusts of up to 95mph possible. A “danger to life” from flying debris, power cuts, and road closures has been warned. Yellow wind warnings cover the rest of Scotland, northern England, and western Wales, while a yellow rain warning applies to north-west England.
BBC Scotland weather presenter Gillian Smart described the storm as “potent”, noting that trees still in leaf could be brought down, causing disruption to power supplies. She added that some parts of western Scotland could see several weeks’ worth of rainfall in the first few days of the month.
