A deep area of low pressure, which will bring winds up to 80mph as well as rain to the Western Isles, Republic of Ireland and parts of the UK, on Sunday and Monday has been named Storm Ashley by Met Éireann – the Irish met service.
An amber warning for fierce winds is in force for the Outer Hebrides as the storm tracks north eastwards reaching the islands from very early Sunday morning, bringing strong winds and rain.
The weather warning will be downgraded to yellow status from midnight Sunday into
Monday morning as 50-60mph gusts may bring further impacts across the north of Scotland
before it moves away said forecasters.
Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Tony Wisson, said: “Storm Ashley will bring strong winds for most of the UK on Sunday before it clears on Monday, with a chance of some disruption across parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland, Northwest England and West Wales.
“A period of especially strong winds are expected on Sunday afternoon and evening
in western Scotland, where gusts could potentially reach 70-80mph in exposed areas,
and more generally 50-60mph in other parts of the warning area.
“These strong winds in conjunction with high spring tides, may cause some disruption.
"It is important that people stay up to date with the latest forecast and our warnings.”
Head of Transport Resilience at Transport Scotland, Ashleigh Robson, said: “Storm
Ashley is set to bring widespread disruption for travel on Sunday and into Monday.
Passengers should certainly check with their operator, and with some families off
enjoying the October school holidays, we would advise them to play close attention
to any cross-border travel updates too.
“The multi agency team will be in position to take decisions, oversee the network, and advise the public and update Ministers over the weekend as the storm sweeps into parts of Scotland.
“The strong winds may cause particular difficulties for HGVs and we would urge drivers to take note of the conditions, debris on the roads and trees falling onto some roads is a strong possibility. The forecasted rain will make visibility difficult when driving and could result in some localised flooding.
“Disruption on ferry services is very likely, rail services and flights may also be impacted. Please check with you transport operator for the latest information. The decision to cancel services is never taken lightly, but safety of passengers has to be the priority. Please plan ahead.”
Storm Ashley named as Met Office warns winds up to 80mph winds may hit Western Isles
18 October 2024