Amber warnings as Storm Boelo brings winds to northern UK
The Met Office has issued amber weather warnings for Scotland, northern England and the north-east of Northern Ireland as Storm Boelo approaches, with winds potentially exceeding 80mph in northern parts of the UK. The storm is the second named storm of the season, following Storm Austen, which struck earlier in the week.
The Met Office is the body that issues the UK's weather warnings. An amber warning means there is an increased likelihood of severe weather disrupting plans. The Met Office says amber warnings can bring possible travel delays, road and rail closures, power cuts, and potential risk to life and property.
The amber warning covers Scotland and the north of England down to Carlisle, running from 9pm on Saturday to 9pm on Sunday. A separate amber warning covers the north-east of Northern Ireland from 9pm on Saturday until 10am on Sunday. A yellow warning for wet and windy weather, which the Met Office says can be issued for a range of conditions, covers the whole of the north of the UK from midday on Saturday to 9pm on Sunday.
Further south, a heavy rain warning covers Wales and parts of western and southern England from 11am to 11pm on Saturday. Storm Boelo is also expected to bring heavy, frequent showers to northern areas. The Met Office has forecast widespread gusts of 60 to 70mph, with gusts of 80mph possible in exposed coastal locations.
Storm Austen hit south-west England on Friday, and about 31,000 homes in the region were without power at one stage that day. By Saturday morning, more than 3,700 homes still had no electricity, according to a National Grid map.
Rail operators have warned passengers about travel over the weekend. TransPennine Express advised against all but essential train journeys on Saturday and Sunday, while Avanti West Coast advised passengers not to travel north of Preston on Sunday.
The Met Office has said Boelo is a separate low-pressure system from Austen. Low-pressure systems are areas of low air pressure that often bring strong winds and rain. The Met Office gives the name's pronunciation as "Boo-loh".
