Second storm of season hits 80 mph as UK travel grid slows

The Met Office activated amber weather warnings for parts of the UK on Saturday evening as Storm Boelo made landfall. This marks the second named storm of the autumn season, following Storm Austen on Friday. The agency forecast that wind speeds would peak after dark, with widespread gusts between 60 and 70 mph in the affected zones. Exposed coastal areas faced the potential for 80 mph gusts. The amber alerts, the second most severe level of warning, covered mainland Scotland and northern England down to Carlisle from 9 pm Saturday to 9 pm Sunday. A separate alert for northeastern Northern Ireland ran from 9 pm Saturday to 10 am Sunday. Yellow warnings extended south into parts of England and North Wales.

Wind speeds reached 75 mph in the Western Isles, Highland, and Eilean Siar regions of Scotland before the peak of the storm. The Met Office noted that these readings occurred while yellow rain warnings were also active. Heavy rainfall had already accumulated across the country by Saturday evening. White Barrow in Wiltshire recorded 72 mm of rain since 8 am. Cwm Dyli in North Wales and Inveruglas on the west shore of Loch Lomond in Scotland both logged 43 mm of precipitation.

Storm Austen had previously disrupted the southwest of England on Friday. Gusts reached 76 mph at St Mary’s airport in the Isles of Scilly, 74 mph at Aberporth in south-west Wales, and 71 mph at Culdrose in Cornwall. Hundreds of homes in the southwest lost power during that system. The National Grid reported restoring electricity to more than 131,000 properties by 7 pm on Saturday.

The Environment Agency issued 58 flood alerts for areas in England by 8 pm on Saturday. These alerts indicated that flooding was possible in those locations. The agency also issued 12 warnings for specific sites where flooding was expected. Jason Kelly, chief forecaster at the Met Office, said the storm would affect the entire UK, with the strongest winds and most disruption concentrated in the north. He advised people to stay indoors to avoid flying debris and crashing waves. Kelly told the public to secure loose items outside and plan travel routes in advance.

Travel networks faced immediate disruptions as the weather worsened. Dublin airport cancelled nine outbound and ten inbound flights by 4 pm on Saturday. Six inbound flights performed go-arounds due to wind conditions. Five of those aircraft landed on their second attempt, and one diverted to another airport before returning. Network Rail shared images of a trampoline and a shed near railway tracks, prompting a request for residents to secure garden furniture firmly to prevent it from becoming airborne.

Public events and attractions suspended operations to address safety concerns. Visit Liverpool cancelled the River of Light event, which features illuminated artwork, citing safety reasons. In London, the annual Diwali on the Square celebrations scheduled for Sunday were called off after independent health and safety experts made the recommendation. Edinburgh Castle closed its doors for Sunday. The Fountains Abbey estate in North Yorkshire also closed, cancelling its planned Fountains by Floodlight event. These closures reflect the widespread impact of the wind and rain across the country.