Storm Amy battered the UK with strong winds and heavy rain on Saturday, bringing widespread disruption across large parts of the country. Wind gusts came close to 100mph on Friday night, with the highest recorded speed reaching 96mph at Tiree in the Hebrides.
Northern Ireland set a provisional October wind record as 92mph gusts struck Magilligan in County Londonderry. The Met Office issued multiple weather warnings covering most of the UK throughout Saturday.
Much of Scotland remained under an amber wind warning until 9pm Saturday, while yellow warnings blanketed Scotland, northern England and north Wales. Additional yellow warnings for rain affected north and west Scotland until midnight and Northern Ireland until noon.
Transport networks face severe disruption
Scotland's road network suffered extensive closures due to the severe weather conditions. The Forth Road Bridge shut completely in both directions, while the Skye Bridge, Queensferry Crossing and Clackmannanshire Bridge banned high-sided vehicles.
The Tay Road Bridge reopened early Saturday with a 30mph speed restriction but remained closed to tall vehicles. Fallen trees forced closures on numerous roads, including sections of the M9 eastbound near Stirling and the A78 at Skelmorlie due to flooding.
Rail services faced major disruptions as Network Rail conducted safety inspections across the network. All trains via Glasgow Central and Glasgow Queen Street remained suspended since Friday night, with services not expected to resume until at least lunchtime Saturday.
Network Rail Scotland route director Ross Moran reported more than 60 incidents of flooding, fallen trees and debris within the storm's first two hours. "Storm Amy has hit parts of the country much harder and more quickly than expected," he said.
Emergency services respond to multiple incidents
Ferry operator CalMac anticipated significant service disruptions continuing through Saturday and into Sunday, with many routes cancelled. Belfast International Airport warned passengers to expect delays and advised checking with airlines before travelling.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency issued 30 flood warnings on Saturday, while England and Wales faced seven additional flood alerts from the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales. Multiple road bridges, including the M48 Severn Bridge, closed overnight due to high winds.
A man in his 40s died in a weather-related incident in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland, according to gardai. Around 234,000 properties across Ireland lost power on Friday as the storm brought widespread disruption.
Weather conditions expected to improve
Wind and rain should ease throughout Saturday evening for most areas, though severe gales will persist in northeast Scotland. A yellow wind warning covers the Orkney and Shetland Islands, Highlands, Aberdeenshire and Moray from midnight Saturday until 9am Sunday.
Sunday promises drier, less windy conditions with sunny spells for most regions, though rain may develop in the northwest.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
