All schools in the Western Isles will close on Friday as Storm Eowyn passes over the islands.
If the storm follows its expected track, winds are forecast to strengthen locally over the morning, dropping for a period as the centre of the storm moves over the islands on its northward course. Winds will rapidly increase again with the likelihood of violent wind speeds as the storm peaks later on Friday.
An amber warning of potentially damaging winds is in force from 1pm Friday into Saturday morning.
All Western Isles primary schools, secondary schools and nurseries will be closed to pupils and staff on Friday.
Castlebay Sports Centre, Linaclate Sports Centre, Shawbost Pool and Lionel Pool will be closed on Friday.
Ionad Spòrs Leòdhais (Lewis Sports Centre) will close at an earlier time of 6pm.
Stornoway Library will be open as normal. All other library facilities will be closed and there will be no library van service.
Museum nan Eilean’s Stornoway and Lionacleit buildings will be closed on Friday.
All CalMac ferry services are cancelled after the shipping company took the rare step of ordering all its vessels to remain in port.
The public are advised to secure any loose debris. The construction industry is advised to secure scaffolding and any loose items on building sites.
The Comhairle asks that family, neighbours and friends living nearby assist and support elderly and vulnerable people.
Bus Services
The public are advised that there may be delays or cancellations to scheduled bus services on Friday.
Travel
Police Scotland has issued travel advice. Driving in these conditions can be dangerous, for yourself and other road users. If you must drive, you can do this more safely by taking the following actions; drive slowly to minimise the impact of wind gusts, be aware of high sided vehicles/caravans on more exposed roads and be cautious when overtaking, and give cyclists, motorcyclists, lorries and buses more room than usual.
Police Scotland will communicate information on any road closures through their social media channels.
Social Work and Social Care Services
Social work and social care services will be prioritising essential service delivery on Friday.
The Care at Home service schedule will be affected, and service users and their families will be contacted to work through any amendments that may affect them.
Provision is being made to have plans in place to manage any possible disruption within other care services.
Flooding
A flood alert has been issued for Western Isles. This alert is for coastal flooding. On Friday into Saturday there is a risk of significant impacts from wave and spray overtopping in exposed locations due to a combination of very strong winds, large waves and storm surge. Potential impacts include flooding affecting properties and parts of communities, disruption to infrastructure, and damage to buildings. The public can access updates for their area on the SEPA website.
General Advice
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) is reminding members of the public to take extra care if using candles during any power cuts which occur due to winter storms. In the event of a loss of 999 services, all fire stations will be manned by emergency services.
SSEN is on alert and has put in place its contingency plans to deal with any damage the storm may cause to the electricity network. Any customers who lose their electricity supply are urged to contact SSEN on 105 to report damage or highlight neighbours or friends who may need extra help.
Western Isles schools close during Storm Eowyn
23 January 2025