Roads and railways shut by Storm Floris as high winds batter UK
In Scotland, police have warned drivers to stay away from two roads in Aberdeenshire and the Western Highlands – which were blocked by fallen trees and overturned campervans respectively.
Bridges such as the A9 Dornoch Bridge, Highlands, and the A1 Tyne Bridge in East Lothian were also closed due to high winds.
Here's a photograph of the damaged tree we were dealing with at Cornton, near Stirling.@ScotRail #StormFloris pic.twitter.com/JMhW6IZDE6
— Network Rail Scotland (@NetworkRailSCOT) August 4, 2025
A number of rail lines in Scotland were blocked by fallen trees, including one near Cornton in Stirling which landed on overhead wires.
Crews were also called out to cut back fallen trees from the line near Giffnock, East Renfrewshire.
A yellow warning for wind for northern parts of the UK became active at 6am on Monday, lasting until 6am on Tuesday.
Central and northern Scotland are covered by a more serious amber warning from 10am to 10pm on Monday.
A number of train services were halted at midday and ferry sailings have been cancelled.
Train operator LNER has told passengers not to travel north of Newcastle while Avanti West Coast has advised passengers not to travel north of Preston, warning it will be 'heavily impacted' by the weather.
On Monday afternoon, a number of roads were blocked by the storm, including: the A96 in Aberdeenshire, the A87 and the A82 in the western Highlands.
The west of Scotland saw heavy rain early on Monday morning, with winds picking up later in the day.
Western coastal areas are expected to bear the brunt of the storm.
Storm Floris has also impacted Edinburgh's busy festival period, with the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo cancelling its Monday performance.
A Scottish Government minister said it is 'imperative' that people follow advice as Storm Floris hits the country.
Justice Secretary Angela Constance told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland news programme: 'Storm Floris is well and truly with us today and it's imperative that people follow advice because there will be significant disruption on our travel network.'
She said anyone who has to travel is likely to face disruption and should plan ahead, adding: 'Consider this a winter journey as opposed to a summer journey.
'Please make sure you've got warm clothes, food, water, plenty of fuel and that your mobile phone is charged up.'
Met Office chief meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said: 'Across the warning area, many inland areas are likely to see gusts of 40-50mph, with 60-70mph more likely at higher elevations and around exposed coasts in Scotland.
'There is a small chance that some locations here could even record gusts of 85mph.'
ℹ We're asking anyone with garden equipment, such as tents, trampolines or furniture, to secure items so that they don't blow onto the tracks and interfere with lineside equipment. #StormFloris pic.twitter.com/EkJjhXUTKc
— ScotRail (@ScotRail) August 4, 2025
The strongest winds will most likely affect Scotland on Monday afternoon and night but 'there remains some uncertainty in the depth and track of Floris', a spokesperson added.
'Winds will first ease in the west later during Monday but remaining very strong overnight until early Tuesday in the east.
'Heavy rain may also contribute to the disruption in places.'
#StormFloris arrives during Monday morning, bringing unseasonably strong winds to the north of the UK ⚠️
Heavy rain will also sweep eastwards across the country ☔ pic.twitter.com/t6j0Hl4tb8
— Met Office (@metoffice) August 3, 2025
The warning zone covers Scotland, parts of Northern Ireland, north Wales and the north of England.
Storm Floris is the sixth named storm of the 2024-25 naming season, which runs from early September to late August.
January's Storm Eowyn was the most recent.
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Sky News
31 minutes ago
- Sky News
UK weather: Trains cancelled as first Storm Floris warning comes into force
Why you can trust Sky News Storm Floris is hitting the UK - with train companies in the worst-affected areas urging passengers not to travel today. The Met Office has issued an amber "danger to life" warning for wind in parts of Scotland, with gusts of up to 90mph possible. That alert is in force from 10am until 10pm, with forecasters warning "unusually strong" winds could close roads and damage buildings. A wider yellow warning - covering the North of England, Northern Ireland and north Wales - came into force at 6am, and expires at 11.59pm tonight. Train operator LNER has warned passengers not to travel north of Newcastle, while Avanti West Coast has advised its customers not to travel north of Preston as it will be "heavily affected" by the weather. "We're expecting heavy rain and high winds to result in disruption of services," LNER said in a statement. Some trains have already been cancelled in Scotland, with Network Rail saying several lines will be closed from 12pm. Other routes will run with a reduced timetable and longer journey times. Among the routes set to close at midday are Edinburgh to Fife, Perth to Dundee, and Aberdeen to Inverness, as well as the West Highland Line. The storm could also lead to road closures - and several ferry services have already been cancelled by Scottish operator CalMac. The Met Office said that much of Scotland, particularly western coastal areas, will be battered by heavy rain and windy conditions. The strongest gusts are expected this afternoon and into the evening - but a Met Office spokesperson warned "there remains some uncertainty in the depth and track of Floris". Sky News' weather presenter Jo Wheeler said: "Storm Floris is likely to bring a spell of weather not usually associated with the height of summer. "Travelling across the Atlantic, this otherwise unremarkable, low-pressure system will cross a powerful jet stream, exiting on the cold side, renowned for storm formation." She said inland gusts of 50mph to 60mph are widely possible, potentially reaching 80mph to 90mph over exposed coasts, hills and bridges. "The rain associated with this storm will largely clear through early tomorrow, but it's as the rain goes that the winds start to strengthen," she warned.
Sky News
31 minutes ago
- Sky News
Storm Floris latest: Winds up to 124mph hit UK - as 32,000 homes without power and plane filmed struggling to land
We're pausing our live coverage That's all from us. Storm Floris has been and mostly gone, with some disruption expected tomorrow. Keep scrolling down to catch up on how the storm unfolded today, or check our 22:00 post for a quick recap. In the meantime, we'll share any other developments on the Sky News website and app. Rail disruption likely tomorrow as work continues to clear routes Tomorrow may be free of weather warnings in almost every part of the UK - see our 18:55 post - but there will be a hangover from today's disruption on the rails. Passengers have been warned as such, with Network Rail working "tirelessly" to clear routes blocked by falling trees and debris. But Network Rail Scotland's route director said this work will continue into tomorrow. "As the storm passes later this evening, our focus switches to inspecting routes which have been closed by fallen trees, debris and other damage," he said. "Our teams will work through the night, but this work will continue into Tuesday morning. "We'll use two helicopters to assist engineers on the ground. We're grateful to passengers for their patience whilst we do this." 10pm recap - what you need to know in five bullet points as Storm Floris passes It's 10pm, and two weather warnings in place for the northern half of the UK are set to expire in minutes. If you're just checking in, or you simply want a quick recap of today's storm, here's a summary in five bullet points: An amber warning for wind - which indicates a risk to life and injury - is in place for another hour for most of Scotland, while a less severe yellow warning covers northern England until midnight; Rail, road and ferry travel have been disrupted and Edinburgh Fringe events cancelled; More than 30,000 people were without power earlier, with dozens of flights grounded and one particularly bumpy landing caught on camera; Police received "multiple reports" of campervans blown over on the A87 between Broadford and Portree on Skye, while in Aberdeenshire the A96 was closed in both directions near Old Rayne because of fallen trees; The storm will cling onto Orkney and Shetland Isles until tomorrow morning, and showers will remain throughout the rest of Scotland. Wind speeds topped 80mph at low-level Scottish site, data shows The Met Office has just released the latest top speeds recorded during today's storm. It's worth noting the overall top speed - the gust we reported at 17:55 - was clocked at a high elevation, going at 124mph. But the top speed at a low-level site (which are most commonly reported by the Met Office) stands at 82mph - which is provisionally an August record for Scotland. The speeds listed below were all clocked at low-level sites in Scotland, which better reflect the kind of conditions people faced during the storm: Wick - 82mph South Uist Range - 79mph Kinloss - 79mph Tain Range - 78mph Inverbervie - 77mph Tiree - 75mph Brighter day ahead tomorrow with risk of scattered showers Almost all of the UK is free of weather warnings tomorrow - see our 18:55 post. That means things are looking brighter, but there are still rain clouds ahead. Highs of 23C are forecast in the southeast, but keep an eye on the top left of the graphic below to see how showers could develop... Seven tips to cope with a power cut - and prepare for the next one Today's stormed cut power to thousands, with many still without supply. Below, the Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks offer some tips on what to do when the lights go out, and how to be better prepared for any repeats: Turn off appliances and lights, but leave one switched on so you know when power is back; If you know your power will be switched off in advance, boil some water and keep it in a thermos flask; Try to avoid opening the freezer unless absolutely necessary, as it helps food stay frozen for longer. Food will keep for about eight hours without power, but make sure to check it when your electricity is restored; Get hold of a torch and keep extra batteries; Try to set up a plug-in phone, and charge your mobile ahead of the storm; Save important numbers on your mobile, or write them on a piece of paper; Make sure you have a battery-powered radio, and tune into your local station. Watch: Edinburgh Fringe visitors disappointed after cancelled shows "We're a little disappointed our show got cancelled for tonight," David, who was visiting Edinburgh, told us. He was one of many who had travelled to the city for the events. Jane flew up with her husband to see the Tattoo for his 60th birthday - see our 7.24 post for more on its cancellation. But the pair will be flying back home tomorrow morning... Cows take advantage after fence 'blown over' By Jenness Mitchell, Scotland reporter Escaped cows were spotted on the loose in North Lanarkshire earlier. Darren Young recorded this herd running down Carfin's Elder Way/Taylor Avenue. Young shared footage of the incident online, adding: "For anyone out and about in Carfin, looks like a couple of fences have been blown down and the cows are out in force." Warnings still in place - here's the latest While the worst of the storm has passed over much of the UK, warnings remain in place for the northern half of the country. An amber warning for wind covers almost all of Scotland until 11pm tonight, according to the Met Office. This means there is potential danger to life and the risk of injuries, particularly in coastal areas. A yellow warning for wind will expire at midnight, stretching from Manchester, Liverpool and north Wales up to the northern reaches of Scotland. This includes Northern Ireland. Tomorrow, a yellow warning for wind is in place until 8am over the Shetland Islands and Orkney. Hundreds still have no power in Ireland Around 2,700 homes, farms and businesses remain without power in the Republic of Ireland. ESB Networks said its crews will keep working into the night to restore supply. More than 10,000 homes were without power earlier today, with Co Donegal and Co Roscommon among the worst-affected areas.
The National
an hour ago
- The National
'New normal': Climate campaigners sound alarm over Arthur's Seat blaze
Firefighters were called to tackle the blaze on the ancient extinct volcano in Edinburgh on Sunday and the fire service believes that it was caused by human activity. The blaze has since been brought under control but activists have said that it should be cause for concern. Robert Palmer, the deputy director of pressure group Uplift, said: 'The wildfire at Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh, and the ongoing heath blaze in Dorset, are really worrying. Wildfires like these are becoming more likely because of climate change. READ MORE: 20 pictures show fire blazing at Arthur's Seat landmark 'The world is on fire, with wildfires in France and Greece, which have both claimed lives, and there is a megablaze in California. We're facing our fourth heatwave of the summer and have only just started to recover from Storm Floris. 'These are just the latest examples of extreme weather becoming the 'new normal', which the Met office has said is becoming more common because of climate change, which in turn is driven by burning fossil fuels.' (Image: PA) Palmer said that the blaze helped illustrate Uplift's arguments against the Rosebank oil field. The project was approved in 2023, but the Court of Session ruled in January this year that the consent was unlawful as it did not take into account the negative effect it going ahead would cause for the environment. Lauren MacDonald, the lead campaigner at Stop Rosebank, said: 'As a Scot, it has been devastating to see the impacts of storms and wildfires across Scotland this year. Now, the iconic Arthur's Seat is ablaze, in the middle of the Fringe. READ MORE: Latest updates as fire crews continue to tackle Arthur's Seat blaze 'Scotland is experiencing one extreme weather event after another this year, from Storm Eowyn to Scottish Water's warning of water scarcity and Storm Floris which saw winds of up to 90 mph and had a rare 'danger to life' amber warning. 'And of course wildfires which have burned through Scotland's beautiful landscapes including a National Trust conservation site. All Scots serious about ending climate change know it means no new drilling at the Rosebank oil field.'
