As Storm Floris rages into the UK from the Atlantic, bringing unseasonably strong gales with an amber ‘danger to life’ warning for parts of Scotland, watch the brutal winds live here
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Watch live: Storm Floris hits Leeds Bradford Airport with strong winds and rain
Flights have been grounded and bridges closed as the UK is hit by ‘dangerous’ high winds in the wake of the ferocious Storm Floris. In what is a relatively rare occurrence for the summer months, parts of Scotland could see gusts of up to 100mph as the storm comes in from the Atlantic.
The Met Office announced an amber danger to life warning and a yellow wind warning for parts of northern England, Northern Ireland and Wales. The alert began at 6am today and will be in place until 6am tomorrow.
Delays and cancellations are expected for rail and air travellers with those in the worse affected areas being warned to cancel their journeys entirely. It comes after horror moment a Japan tsunami sends gigantic wall of water smashing into coast .
With roads busier than usual due to the holidays, the RAC is warning drivers to travel at lower speeds, increase stopping distances and delay journeys in the worst areas. A spokesperson told the BBC: “Extra luggage and passengers, combined with wet roads, increase stopping distances as the brakes have to cope with the extra weight.”
They continued: “It’s best to drive slowly and keep a firm grip on the steering wheel so you can cope with being buffeted by the wind. Drivers should also be very wary of high-sided vehicles, which are more likely to be affected by strong winds, and watch out for debris in the roads.”
A webcam situated at Fort William in Scotland shows the shoreline at Loch Linnhe with the choppy waters rocking the small boats moored there from side to side. Trees planted in the middle of the nearby roundabout are thrashing around as the wind continues to increase in speed. According to Sky News, gusts of 106mph have been recorded in Aonoch Mor, in northeast Scotland.
Most of Scotland’s major bridges are closed to vehicles, which comes into place once wind reaches 85mph. The Forth Bridge is closed to double decker buses, motorcycles, and pedestrians. Flights from Glasgow airport to the islands have also been cancelled.
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. Fallen trees have been reported, with operators warning travellers to check their routes before setting out. Ferry operator CalMac has also issued a series of cancellations ahead of the storm.
The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is expected to be disrupted, while the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo performance has been cancelled. Edinburgh Castle has also been closed.
The amber warning has been extended in Scotland until 11pm and has been expanded to include Orkney. With this comes the risk to life and injuries being caused by large waves. There could also be the danger of flying debris and objects, with the likelihood of damage to trees and buildings.
Power cuts are also likely across the areas worse affected. Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks have reported outages across large parts of the country. Northern Ireland Electricity Networks has reported numerous power cuts across all counties and ESB Networks has reported multiple outages in the Republic of Ireland.
Met Office chief meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said: “There remains some uncertainty in the depth and track of Floris.” A spokesperson added: “Winds will first ease in the west during later Monday but remaining very strong overnight until early Tuesday in the east. Heavy rain may also contribute to the disruption in places.”
