The deep depression weather system -
An amber ‘be aware’ warning has been issued by the Met Office.
Ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne is advising customers to pay close attention to weather forecasts and to plan accordingly where possible.
“Storm Barbara is well-
He added: “As ever, we will do everything we can to safely deliver our services across the 200 miles of our network, but, at the moment, it seems that significant disruption is highly likely.
“We recognise that people are travelling home to see friends and family, and that anticipation of the festivities runs high at this time of year.
“Be assured, we will make all efforts to ensure that we can help people make their journeys when safe to do so and that we will continually scrutinise forecasts to identify possible windows of opportunity for each and every route.
“But the weather is outwith our gift and could cause major issues.”
Widespread ferry cancellations expected in Friday’s hurricane force winds
21 December 2016
Major ferry disruption is expected on Friday with a storm forecast to batter the Western Isles.
Gusts up to 90mph are expected to cause structural damage and power cuts across the islands.
People with Christmas travel plans are being advised to set off on Thursday to avoid being stranded or delayed.
The latest forecast of wild seas and high waves indicates Western Isles ferries will not sail. Ships are expected to ride out the storm in port until conditions are predicted to ease on Saturday afternoon.