A Scots homeowner living in a 200-year-old cottage in the Highlands has shared how she prepares for severe weather as Storm Boelo continues to batter the UK, with a fresh yellow wind warning in force for most of Tuesday.
Storm Boelo warnings remain in place
Ferocious gusts of up to 80mph were recorded on Saturday (Oct 24), and an amber weather warning from the Met Office remains in place for most of the country until 9pm tonight (Oct 25). The bad weather is set to continue into next week, with a yellow wind warning in force for almost the entire day on Tuesday (Oct 27) from 03:00 until 23:59.
The Scottish Government's Resilience Room (SGORR) was activated by ministers this weekend, and households have been urged to take measures to protect their homes against storm damage. The national forecaster has advised people to check for loose items around their properties, such as bins, sheds, trampolines and garden furniture, and to consider how they could secure them.
TikToker shares practical storm tips
Posting under the username HighlandGirly, the woman explained that she lives in a 200-year-old cottage in the Highlands, so she must "prepare for the worst." In her video, she advised: "First lay the bins down and any furniture has to be put away and I've tied the trampoline down."
She also recommended keeping a pump on hand in case of flooding, though she noted it is "no use if the power goes out unfortunately." For power cuts, she stocks up on 8-hour lasting tealights from Home Bargains and keeps a head torch, which she called "a life saver in a power cut." LED lamps are also "handy to have if the power goes out," as they "really light up the room."
Preparing for power cuts and cold weather
The TikToker keeps an enormous battery pack filled with batteries of all sizes in the house, saying: "This battery pack is actually famous believe or not, it's been in the house. We never run out of batteries in this house." She also stressed the importance of having a gas stove with a kettle, adding: "Having a gas stove is a must, don't forget to get extra cannisters. I have a jet boil as well which gets me a cup of tea ultra fast."
She advised making "sure all your battery packs are charged," claiming to "keep at least three fully charged." For the winter months, she stores large bottles of water in the cupboard, explaining: "In the winter time, the pipes can freeze. We always stock up on plenty of water."
For warmth, the household relies on a wood burning fire. She said: "We've bought all our wood in. We're lucky enough to have this log burner and this keeps us nice and toasty if the central heating does go off. I can also boil a pan of water and put jacket potatoes in there, trapped in tinfoil."
Concluding the video, she said: "That's all the things we do to keep safe in a storm. Stay safe everyone." The Met Office recommends gathering essential items in advance so they are available if an emergency occurs. Storm Boelo is set to continue into Tuesday (Oct 27), and Scots are being advised to stay up to date with all the latest weather updates.
