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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Craig Meighan

Storm Floris: Scots urged to stay indoors to avoid 85mph winds

Strong winds and heavy rain are expected on Monday (Jane Barlow/PA) - (PA Archive)

Scots are being urged to stay indoors as Storm Floris approaches.

Much of Scotland will be battered by heavy rain and winds of up to 85mph, the Met Office warned as it upgraded warnings to amber.

The forecaster said injuries and danger to life are expected from large waves hitting seafronts, coastal roads and properties.

Some trains and ferry services have already been cancelled with more likely to be impacted, including air and road transport.

The warning for “unseasonably” strong winds will come into force at 10am on Monday for 12 hours across most of the central belt and north of the country.

A yellow warning for other parts of Scotland will be in place from 6am until midnight.

Scotland is braced for strong winds on Monday (Jane Barlow/PA) (PA Archive)

Western coastal areas are expected to bear the brunt of the storm, although strong winds and rain will likely lead to disruption at Edinburgh’s festivals.

On Sunday night, the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo said it had cancelled its Monday show due to the storm.

Network Rail said several lines will be closed from 12pm on Monday, with all other routes experiencing a reduced timetable and longer journey times.

Edinburgh – Fife/Perth/Dundee, Perth – Dundee/Aberdeen/Inverness and the West Highland Line are among the routes that will close at noon.

Ferry operator CalMac has also issued a series of cancellations ahead of the storm.

LNER has warned passengers not to travel north of Newcastle while Avanti West Coast has advised passengers not to travel north of Preston, as it warned it will be “heavily impacted” by the weather.

Forecasters have warned people who are outdoors to avoid walking or seeking shelter near buildings or trees, said said that loose items including bins and garden furniture could blow away unless secured.

Scottish Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop said a meeting had been held on Friday to ensure the country is ready for the storm, adding: “Given the unusual timing, and the fact some people will be on holiday, travelling or perhaps unaware, we are trying to raise even more awareness than usual of this potentially disruptive storm.

“Please check with operators as we do expect rail, ferries, roads and bridges to be disrupted on Monday across the country.

“This is a slightly unusual situation for August, however the message is the same as winter – plan ahead, check your journey in advance, allow extra time, and don’t take any unnecessary risks.”

Drivers are urged to plan ahead amid heavy rain and strong winds (Robert Perry/PA) (PA Archive)

Those driving in poor weather have been urged to avoid the worst-hit areas and slow down when on the roads while allowing time for delays.

The Met Office said there was the potential for power cuts in some areas as well as disruption to mobile phone coverage.

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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