Storm Amy, the first named storm of the season, is set to batter northern parts of the UK late on Friday and into Saturday, the Met Office has warned. Forecasters expect gale-force winds exceeding 80mph and heavy rain across northern and western regions.
Yellow wind and rain warnings have been issued for Scotland, Northern Ireland, and parts of northern and north-west England, with a risk to life. The Met Office's deputy chief meteorologist, Tom Crabtree, noted uncertainty about the storm's exact track and urged the public to monitor forecasts.
Crabtree said: “The system will bring gale-force winds across northern and western regions, with gusts widely reaching 50 to 60 miles per hour inland in northern Britain, and potentially reaching 70 to 80 miles per hour in places.” Even stronger gusts are expected on exposed coasts and hills, mainly in the north-west.
He added: “Heavy rainfall is also expected, particularly over western Scotland, where totals could exceed 30-50mm in six to nine hours, increasing the risk of localised flooding.” Transport Scotland warned of travel disruption, advising motorists to check the Traffic Scotland website and passengers to verify services with operators.
Martin Thomson, a Transport Scotland spokesperson, said: “Storm Amy is set to bring heavy rain and strong winds to parts of Scotland and we expect to see disruption to the transport network in the warning areas. The rain and wind will bring difficult driving conditions, such as reduced visibility and surface water, and are also likely to affect the ferry and rail networks.”
Before Amy's arrival, a yellow rain warning is in place from 5pm Wednesday covering west and north-west Scotland until Thursday. The Met Office has named storms since 2015 to improve communication of high-impact weather. This season's names run from Amy to Wubbo, excluding Q, U, X, Y, and Z.
