Key Points
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A rare red alert warning of a ‘danger to life’ across central Scotland - Hundreds of schools across Scotland closed on Friday
- Hurricane force wind speeds of up to 100mph expected
- Air, rail, road and ferry routes cancelled with advice not to travel
- Police warn drivers to avoid unnecessary journeys and consider delaying travel plans
Scotland is being battered with life-threatening hurricane-force winds with hundreds of schools closed, transport suspended and a warning to stay indoors and avoid travel.
An initial yellow weather warning for wind came into force at midnight as Storm Eowyn begins to make its way across Ireland and Scotland.
A rare Met Office red alert comes into force at 10am as the storm is expected to bring the most intense weather in recent history with wind speeds of 100mph.
The first-ever use in Scotland of the UK-wide emergency alert system saw phones belonging to those in the affected areas emit a loud siren and display urgent guidance from the government on Thursday night.
All schools across central Scotland are closed including in Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Renfrewshire, with councils confirming all nurseries, primaries and secondaries are shut.
ScotRail has suspended all train services while CalMac has cancelled all ferry sailings throughout Friday.
Watch
First Minister urges people not to travel amid red weather warning
Police have also urged drivers to avoid unnecessary journeys and to delay travel plans until conditions improve.
First Bus has cancelled all services across Greater Glasgow from 8am to allow vehicles and staff to return to the depot.
Meanwhile, McGill’s services will also be cancelled between 9am and 6pm and Lothian Buses between 10am and 5pm.
The Met Office issued the most severe possible warning for Friday, forecasting “flying debris resulting in danger to life”.
Additional yellow warnings for snow and wind have also been issued, the first of which comes into force at midnight on Friday.
STV NewsThe storm will bring peak gusts of 60-70 mph fairly widely inland, 70-80 mph in some areas, and 80-90 mph along more exposed coasts and hills, the Met Office said.
Forecasters warned that flying debris, large waves, and beach debris thrown onto seafronts, coastal roads, and properties could cause injuries and danger to life.
John Swinney said in a statement at the Scottish Parliament ahead of First Minister’s Questions: “This storm could bring winds up to 100mph.
“The Met Office advice is clear, the potential impacts include danger to life, structural damage to property and transport and power disruptions.
“We have to be clear, people should not travel and Police Scotland will issue a formal, do not travel advisory notice shortly.”
He added: “Red weather warnings like this are very rare. Our message is simple, please follow the advice from the Met Office and the police, take this seriously and stay safe.”
Insight Sean Batty STV Meteorologist
Red warnings are very rare and are only issued in exceptional circumstances.
Red warnings come with advice to refrain from travel where possible, and those who can work from home should do so. The good thing is that a lot more people nowadays have the ability, and offices the infrastructure, to allow this to happen more post-Covid.
One of the most significant aspects of this storm is its timing, with the peak expected during daylight hours when more people are likely to be out and about. Storms like this can bring down trees onto roads and railway lines with little warning, and falling debris from buildings poses a serious hazard. For these reasons, staying at home during such periods is much safer.
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