Met Office issues new amber weather warnings as Storm Floris closes in
A yellow warning is also in place for parts of Wales, the north of England and Northern Ireland
High winds are expected
(Image: Danny Lawson/PA)
The incoming Storm Floris has triggered the Met Office to announce an amber wind warning for Central, Tayside and Fife, Grampian, Highlands and Eilean Siar, SW Scotland, Lothian Borders and Strathclyde across the UK for Monday.
The regions will be battered by severe winds. The strong gusts are anticipated to start on Monday at around 11am and persist until 11pm. The updated warning was issued at 10.16am on Sunday, August 3.
A Met Office forecast said: "Storm Floris will bring a spell of unusually strong west or northwesterly winds to much of Scotland during Monday. Gusts of 50 to 70 mph are expected for many parts, and are likely to reach 80 to 90 mph on some exposed coasts, hills and bridges. Western coastal areas will see the highest gusts between late morning and early afternoon, the strongest winds then transferring to northeastern Scotland by late afternoon/early evening."
What to expect
Power cuts with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage; Some roads and bridges closed; Some damage to trees and buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs, expected; Injuries and danger to life from large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties; Flying debris could lead to Injuries or danger to life; Longer journey times and cancellations, as road, rail, air and ferry services affected.
What should you do?
Driving in these conditions can be dangerous, for yourself and other road users. If you must drive, you can do this more safely by taking the following actions drive slowly to minimise the impact of wind gusts, be aware of high-sided vehicles/caravans on more exposed roads and be cautious when overtaking, and give cyclists, motorcyclists, lorries, and buses more room than usual.
Being outside in high winds makes you more vulnerable to injury. Stay indoors as much as possible. If you do go out, try not to walk, or shelter, close to buildings and trees. In advance of high winds, check for loose items outside your home and secure them.
Items include; bins, garden furniture, trampolines, tents, sheds, and fences. If you are on the coast, stay safe during stormy weather by being aware of large waves. Even from the shore large breaking waves can sweep you off your feet and out to sea.
Take care if walking near cliffs; know your route and keep dogs on a lead. In an emergency, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard. People cope better with power cuts when they have prepared for them in advance.
It's easy to do; consider gathering torches and batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essential items. Stay up to date with the weather forecast for your area and follow advice from emergency services and local authorities For further details see Met Office Warnings & Advice.
Full list of areas with amber weather warning
Central, Tayside and Fife
Angus, Clackmannanshire, Dundee, Falkirk, Fife, Perth and Kinross, Stirling
Grampian
Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray
Highlands and Eilean Siar
Eilean Siar, Highland
SW Scotland, Lothian Borders
East Lothian, Edinburgh, Midlothian Council, Scottish Borders, West Lothian
Strathclyde
Argyll and Bute, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire
What is an amber weather warning?
The Met Office has three categories of weather warning, depending on the likely impact of severe weather and also how likely it is to strike in a particular area. A yellow warning is issued when weather conditions are expected to disrupt travel and traffic and may impact on daily routines but are not likely to pose a risk to life or property.
An amber warning is more severe and advises people to think about changing their plans to minimise the risk. A red warning means weather conditions are expected to be dangerous with widespread damage to property and a risk to life, with the public usually advised to avoid travelling. The Amber weather alert for wind will remain in effect until 11pm on Monday.
Yellow warning also issued
The Met Office has announced an updated yellow wind warning for several regions across the UK for Monday and Tuesday amid Storm Floris. The warning is covering parts of North East England, North West England, Northern Ireland, Orkney and Shetland, Wales, Yorkshire and Humber. High winds are set to sweep through the regions on Monday at around 7am. The strong gusts are expected to continue battering the areas until Tuesday 12am.
Areas affected by yellow warning
North East England
Darlington, Durham, Gateshead, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, Northumberland, Redcar and Cleveland, South Tyneside, Stockton-on-Tees, Sunderland
North West England
Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Cheshire West and Chester, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Halton, Lancashire, Merseyside, Warrington
Northern Ireland
County Antrim, County Armagh, County Down, County Fermanagh, County Londonderry, County Tyrone
Orkney and ShetlandOrkney Islands, Shetland Islands
WalesConwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Isle of Anglesey
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Yorkshire and HumberEast Riding of Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, York
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That is why we've taken the decision to close some parts of Scotland's Railway early on Monday as the worst of the conditions hit the country.' Good afternoon and welcome to our live blog, where our reporters will be posting regular updates about Storm Floris as it makes landfall in Scotland. Make sure to hit the refresh button on your browser to see new posts.
