Brits have been warned of a proper thrashing from Storm Ashley.
Named by Met Eireann due to its initial impact in Ireland, Storm Ashley is going to power through at an almighty pace, making a beeline for the UK in the early hours of Sunday with a cargo full of gusts and buckets of rain. And, get this, yellow warnings for some seriously gnarly wind have been plastered all over the place from 3am Sunday ’til midday Monday.
The Met Office’s rain radar is lighting up like a Christmas tree, showing downpours making a mad dash across the country from dawn. But don’t fret too much; the showers should scarper by early aft.
Met Office’s Deputy Chief Meteorologist, Tony Wisson, chimed in with: “Storm Ashley will bring strong winds for most of the UK on Sunday before it clears on Monday, with a chance of some disruption across parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland, Northwest England and West Wales.”
(Image: Met Office)
He adds a bit of the old doom and gloom with: “A period of especially strong winds are expected on Sunday afternoon and evening in western Scotland, where gusts could potentially reach 70-80mph in exposed areas, and more generally 50-60mph in other parts of the warning area. These strong winds in conjunction with high spring tides, may cause some disruption. It is important that people stay up to date with the latest forecast and our warnings.”, reports Somerset Live.
Ashleigh Robson, Head of Transport Resilience at Transport Scotland, warned: “Storm Ashley is set to bring widespread disruption for travel on Sunday and into Monday. Passengers should certainly check with their operator, and with some families off enjoying the October school holidays, we would advise them to play close attention to any cross-border travel updates too.”
She added: “The Multi Agency Team will be in position to take decisions, oversee the network, and advise the public and update Ministers over the weekend as the storm sweeps into parts of Scotland.”
Robson further cautioned: “The strong winds may cause particular difficulties for HGVs and we would urge drivers to take note of the conditions, debris on the roads and trees falling onto some roads is a strong possibility. The forecasted rain will make visibility difficult when driving and could result in some localised flooding.”
She also noted: “Disruption on ferry services is very likely, rail services and flights may also be impacted. Please check with you transport operator for the latest information. The decision to cancel services is never taken lightly, but safety of passengers has to be the priority. Please plan ahead. The latest information on the trunk road network is always available at www.traffic.gov.scot.”