Amber warning issued for much of Scotland with Storm Éowyn set to bring powerful winds
Gusts of up to 80 miles per hour could hit parts of the country on Friday
A Met Office warning for wind on Friday has been upgraded to amber across much of Scotland.
Éowyn is the first named storm of 2025, and forecasters say it could bring gusts of up to 80 miles per hour, and we are being warned there could be widespread disruption across the transport network.
Road, rail, air and ferry services are likely to be hit, with some roads and bridges subject to closure.
Power cuts are also possible, and there is a chance buildings could be damaged and power lines brought down.
People in coastal areas are urged to take particular care, with the risk of large waves and being material being thrown onto seafronts, roads and homes.
The regions and local authorities affected in Scotland are:
Central, Tayside & Fife
- Angus
- Clackmannanshire
- Dundee
- Falkirk
- Fife
- Perth and Kinross
- Stirling
Grampian
- Aberdeenshire
Highlands & Eilean Siar
- Highland
SW Scotland, Lothian Borders
- Dumfries and Galloway
- East Lothian
- Edinburgh
- Midlothian Council
- Scottish Borders
- West Lothian
Strathclyde
- Argyll and Bute
- East Ayrshire
- East Dunbartonshire
- East Renfrewshire
- Glasgow
- Inverclyde
- North Ayrshire
- North Lanarkshire
- Renfrewshire
- South Ayrshire
- South Lanarkshire
- West Dunbartonshire
A less severe yellow warning also covers the rest of Scotland on Friday, and from the north down to the central belt on Saturday.
Transport Scotland has also issued advice to anyone planning to travel on Friday.
Head of Communications Danny Chalmers told Greatest Hits Radio News: “Check the Met Office, check Traffic Scotland, check Police Scotland, listen to your local radio, and please take care out there, it’s going to be quite a treacherous and challenging Friday and Saturday.
“It may well be that the police ask people not to travel or to only make essential journeys.
The police will certainly be asking the public to check before they travel, especially in the worst affected areas.”
With power cuts also possible, SP Energy Networks has also issues its own “top tips”:
• Ensure you store a battery-powered or wind-up torch in an easily accessible location so you can use it to check the fuse box and navigate around your home safely.
• Power lines may fall because of stormy weather so beware of this when venturing out of your home. Always treat them as live, stay away and report them right away by calling 999.
• Having your mobile phone charged means you can give SP Energy Networks a call on the national 105 emergency helpline. Please don’t assume we know if your power is out, so call us right away.
• If your power does go out, your heating might not work, so keep extra blankets nearby and close window shutters, blinds or curtains to help keep the heat in.
• Teams work around the clock to restore electricity as quickly as possible but customers who feel they need extra support may be eligible for the Priority Services Register. Visit the SP Energy Networks website or call 0330 10 10 167 for more information.
• Make sure we have up-to-date contact details for you, so we can keep in touch with you as appropriate.
Rayo Premium