Winds hit 80mph as Storm Boelo hits UK north

Maximum gust speeds reached 80 miles per hour in exposed coastal areas as Storm Boelo made landfall. The Met Office issued amber weather warnings for the second most severe alert level on Saturday evening. These warnings covered mainland Scotland, parts of Northern Ireland, and northern England down to Carlisle.

The storm is the second named system of the season. It follows Storm Austen, which hit on Friday. Gusts of 76 mph were recorded at St Mary’s airport in the Isles of Scilly during that earlier event. Other high readings included 74 mph at Aberporth in south-west Wales and 71 mph at Culdrose in Cornwall.

Hundreds of homes in south-west England lost power after Storm Austen. The National Grid reported that electricity was restored to over 131,000 properties by 7pm on Saturday. Rainfall totals have also risen sharply since 8am on Saturday. White Barrow in Wiltshire recorded 72mm of rain. Cwm Dyli in North Wales and Inveruglas on the west shore of Loch Lomond both recorded 43mm.

The Environment Agency issued 58 alerts for possible flooding across England by 8pm on Saturday. An additional 12 warnings indicated that flooding was expected in specific locations. Yellow warnings for rain remained active as heavy downpours continued across the country.

Wind speeds were already high before the amber warnings took full effect. Maximum gusts of 75 mph were measured at the South Uist Range in the Western Isles. Similar speeds were recorded in the Highland and Eilean Siar regions. The amber warnings for these areas were active from 9pm on Saturday until the same time on Sunday.

A separate amber warning covered the north-east of Northern Ireland. That alert ran from 9pm on Saturday until 10am on Sunday. Broader yellow wind warnings extended south into parts of England and North Wales. They also covered the entirety of Northern Ireland.

Met Office chief forecaster Jason Kelly stated that the strongest winds would be felt in the north. He advised people to stay indoors to avoid flying debris and crashing waves. Kelly urged the public to secure loose items outside and plan ahead for travel.

Transport disruption began on Saturday afternoon. Dublin airport canceled nine outbound and ten inbound flights as of 4pm. Six inbound flights performed go-arounds. Five landed on the second attempt, while one diverted to another airport before returning. Network Rail shared images of a trampoline and a shed near the tracks. The agency called on residents to secure garden furniture firmly.

Several public events were canceled for safety reasons. Visit Liverpool announced that the River of Light event was called off. The annual Diwali on the Square celebrations in London, scheduled for Sunday, were also canceled. Independent health and safety experts made the recommendation for that event.

Major attractions closed on Sunday. Edinburgh Castle shut its doors to visitors. The Fountains Abbey estate in North Yorkshire canceled its Fountains by Floodlight event. The storm is expected to continue affecting northern regions through Sunday evening.