Winds reach 80 mph as storm shuts down northern sites

Storm Boelo hit the northern United Kingdom on Saturday evening, bringing gusts that reached 80 mph in exposed coastal areas.

The Met Office issued amber warnings for Scotland, parts of Northern Ireland, and the far north of England. These alerts, representing the second most severe level, remained active from 9 p.m. Saturday to 9 p.m. Sunday. A separate amber warning covered the northeast of Northern Ireland until 10 a.m. Sunday. Broader yellow warnings extended south into parts of England and North Wales.

Wind speeds peaked in the Western Isles and Highland regions, where sensors recorded maximum gusts of 75 mph. Forecasters expect widespread gusts between 60 and 70 mph across the warning zones. Rainfall has also been substantial since 8 a.m. Saturday. White Barrow in Wiltshire recorded 72 mm of rain, while Cwm Dyli in North Wales and Inveruglas in Scotland both measured 43 mm. The Environment Agency issued 58 alerts for possible flooding in England by 8 p.m. Saturday, along with 12 warnings indicating expected flooding in specific locations.

This is the second named storm of the season, following Storm Austen. That earlier system brought gusts of 76 mph to St Mary’s airport in the Isles of Scilly. Hundreds of homes in south-west England lost power during that event, though the National Grid reported that over 131,000 properties had regained electricity by 7 p.m. Saturday.

Disruption affected transport and leisure activities across the region. At Dublin airport, weather issues forced airlines to cancel nine outbound and ten inbound flights as of 4 p.m. Saturday. Six inbound flights performed go-arounds, with five landing on the second attempt and one diverting to another airport before returning. Network Rail shared images of a trampoline and a shed near the tracks, prompting calls for residents to secure garden furniture.

Several public events were canceled for safety reasons. Visit Liverpool announced that the River of Light event, featuring illuminated artwork, was called off. In London, the annual Diwali on the Square celebrations scheduled for Sunday were canceled following recommendations from health and safety experts. Edinburgh Castle and the Fountains Abbey estate in North Yorkshire also closed on Sunday, with the latter canceling its Fountains by Floodlight event.

Met Office chief forecaster Jason Kelly stated that the strongest winds and greatest potential for disruption were occurring 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.