Storm Boelo: Amber Warnings as 80mph Winds Sweep Scotland and the North
Britain is bracing for its second named storm in 48 hours, as Storm Boelo sweeps in from the west with gusts of up to 80mph and an amber wind warning covering much of Scotland. The storm follows Friday’s battering of the southwest by Storm Austen, which left more than 31,000 homes without power and part of Brighton’s historic West Pier collapsed into the sea.
The Met Office has upgraded its weekend warnings, with the amber alert in force from 9pm on Saturday across Scotland, parts of the far north of England and the northeast of Northern Ireland, lasting until 9pm on Sunday. Forecasters say widespread gusts of 60 to 70mph are expected, with the strongest winds reaching 80mph on exposed coasts and high ground. A separate yellow warning covers parts of England north of Manchester and Northern Ireland until 9pm on Sunday.
Amber warning: where and when
Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said the contrast with Friday’s storm is stark: “Yesterday’s Storm Austen affected the far south of the UK and northern France and the Channel Islands, whereas today’s Storm Boelo will be affecting the north of the UK.”
“We have an amber wind warning in place across Scotland later today and through tonight and into the end of Sunday,” he added. “With the strong winds, potentially gusts exceeding 80mph locally, there will be some widespread travel disruption across Scotland, possibly northern parts of Northern Ireland and the far north of England as well through the next 24 to 36 hours.”
As well as the winds, heavy rain is forecast for the same areas, raising the risk of flooding. More than a dozen flood alerts remain in place in England, with around ten in Scotland and three flood warnings in England. People are being urged to check the latest forecast before travelling and to allow extra time for journeys.
Rail lines to close across Scotland
Network Rail Scotland has announced a series of precautionary line closures and speed restrictions. Services south and west of Kilwinning in North Ayrshire will stop from 9pm on Saturday, while the Oban and Mallaig lines on the West Highland network close from about 10pm. On Sunday, the line between Kyle of Lochalsh and Achnashellach in the Highlands, and the railway between Wick and Helmsdale in the far north, will be closed from the start of service while safety inspections take place.
Trains will run at reduced speeds across large parts of Scotland from late on Saturday into Sunday, and restrictions on the Far North Line could remain in place into Monday morning. ScotRail has told passengers with tickets dated Saturday or Sunday that they can use them on any service on Saturday, or once routes reopen, including on Monday 26 October.
Craig Gorman, head of operational weather strategy at Network Rail Scotland, said: “We know closing lines and slowing trains will have a significant impact on people’s plans this weekend, and these aren’t decisions we take lightly.” He added: “But when we’re facing weather of this scale, we have to put safety first and make sensible calls before conditions deteriorate.”
Long-distance operators including London North Eastern Railway, Avanti West Coast and TransPennine Express have warned that services north of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Preston may be cancelled or heavily amended on Sunday.
A second storm in two days
Storm Boelo is the second named storm of the season and arrives barely a day after Storm Austen battered the southwest. On Friday, at least 31,000 homes were left without power in the South West of England alone, flights were cancelled, trees were brought down across the region, and part of the West Pier at Brighton fell into the sea.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Friday that Britain could face “a winter of greater flooding”, adding that “unexpected events” are becoming “more and more common”. Back-to-back storms are already stretching repair crews and utility networks, with engineers warning that the second storm could cause further power cuts in the north before the damage from the first has been fully cleared.
The RNLI and coastguard have urged the public to stay away from beaches, cliffs and sea walls while the storm passes, and to call 999 and ask for the Coastguard if they see anyone in trouble in the water.
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Featured image: storm waves pounding the Scottish coast, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA).
