Storm Amy has caused widespread disruption across the UK and Ireland for a second consecutive day, leaving thousands of homes without power and forcing the closure of parks, railway lines, and ferry routes. Winds of up to 100mph have battered parts of the country, with the Met Office issuing a yellow wind warning for the entire UK and an amber alert for northern Scotland, where damaging gusts exceeding 90mph have been recorded.
Scotland and Ireland have been the worst affected. Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) reported that 42,000 homes remained without power on Saturday afternoon, while NIE Networks in Northern Ireland said 50,000 properties had been cut off. The Met Office extended a yellow warning for northeast Scotland until midday on Sunday.
In Moray, northeast Scotland, a man was airlifted to safety after being stranded on a sandbank on the River Spey near Garmouth. The coastguard confirmed he was winched off the island by Coastguard Rescue Helicopter 151 from Inverness and flown to a place of safety. He was said to be safe and well.
Several buildings collapsed and some cars were hit by fallen trees. ScotRail suspended all services out of Glasgow Central, reporting about 80 trees brought down on lines. Network Rail said teams were working around the clock to repair extensive damage, with more than 170 separate incidents reported.
Royal Parks confirmed that all its sites in London, including Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, and St James’s Park, were closed due to severe wind gusts. The Met Office also confirmed a new UK record for the lowest pressure in October, with Storm Amy showing a central pressure of 947.9 hectopascals at Baltasound, Shetland, breaking the previous record of 950.9hPa set in 1988.
The weather will remain wet and very windy in northern Scotland, but elsewhere winds will slowly begin to calm, with strong winds continuing to ease on Sunday, the Met Office said.
