Storm Boelo disrupts travel and forces event cancellations across the UK
Amber weather warnings took effect on Saturday evening as Storm Boelo approached Scotland, parts of Northern Ireland and northern England with gusts of up to 80mph. The storm has already disrupted flights and led to cancelled events.
The Met Office, the UK's national weather service, put amber warnings into force at 9pm on Saturday 24 October for Storm Boelo, the second named storm of the season. The strongest winds are expected in Scotland, parts of Northern Ireland and the far north of England. Amber is the second most severe level on the Met Office scale.
Forecast winds and rain
Met Office chief forecaster Jason Kelly said gusts of 60-70mph are expected widely across the amber zone, with up to 80mph possible in exposed coastal areas. Elsewhere in the UK, gusts of 50-60mph are possible. Heavy rain adds a further hazard, mainly in the north. The forecaster warned of a danger to life from flying debris and large waves, and advised people to stay indoors as much as possible.
The amber wind warning for Scotland and northern England down to Carlisle runs from 9pm Saturday to 9pm Sunday. In north-east Northern Ireland it lasts until 10am Sunday. Wider yellow warnings cover parts of England and North Wales as well as all of Northern Ireland. In England, the Environment Agency had issued 58 flood alerts, meaning flooding is possible, and 12 flood warnings, meaning flooding is expected.
Gusts of 75mph have already been recorded at South Uist Range in Scotland, and 72mm of rain has fallen at White Barrow in Wiltshire since 8am.
Impact
Storm Boelo follows Storm Austen, the season's first named storm, which brought strong winds on Friday. Hundreds of homes in south-west England remained without power, although National Grid said supply had been restored to 131,225 properties.
At Dublin airport, airlines had cancelled nine outbound and 10 inbound flights by 4pm on Saturday. Network Rail urged people living near railway lines to secure garden furniture. Liverpool's River of Light illuminated art event and London's Sunday Diwali on the Square celebrations were cancelled, while Edinburgh Castle and the Fountains Abbey estate in North Yorkshire will be closed on Sunday.
