Storm Boelo Brings Damaging Winds and Disruption Across Northern UK

Storm Boelo swept across Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England overnight into Sunday, bringing powerful winds and heavy rain. It is the second named storm to affect the UK in as many days, following Storm Austen on Friday.

The Met Office said wind speeds of 60-70mph were recorded in areas covered by an amber warning, which took effect at 9pm on Saturday. The warning applied to Scotland, parts of Northern Ireland and the far north of England. Exposed coastal locations saw gusts of more than 80mph, and the island of Tiree in the Inner Hebrides recorded 82mph at about 4am on Sunday.

People in affected areas were advised to secure loose items in their gardens and stay indoors. The forecaster warned of a danger to life from flying debris and crashing waves.

Jason Kelly, the Met Office chief forecaster, said the storm would be felt across the UK this weekend, with the strongest winds and the greatest potential for disruption in the north. He said gusts of 50-60mph were possible in other parts of the country, and that heavy rain would add a further hazard, particularly in the north. "People should prepare for the potential for disruption, particularly to travel and power supplies," he said.

Several weekend events were called off. Visit Liverpool cancelled its River of Light event, which features illuminated artworks, "in the interests of safety". London's annual Diwali on the Square celebrations were cancelled on Sunday on the advice of independent health and safety experts. Edinburgh Castle closed on Sunday because of the weather, as did the Fountains Abbey estate in North Yorkshire, where the Fountains by Floodlight event had already been cancelled on Saturday evening.

The rail network was also hit on Saturday night, with delays and cancellations expected to continue on Sunday. The line between Preston and Blackpool North in Lancashire was blocked after heavy rain caused flooding, and trees fell onto the tracks near Dumfries in Scotland. Network Rail shared images of a trampoline beneath a train and a shed beside the tracks, reminding people living near railways to secure garden objects firmly.

Air travel suffered too, with hundreds of flights delayed or cancelled at airports in the UK and Ireland, including Dublin, Heathrow, Manchester, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

On flooding, the Environment Agency had issued 66 alerts for places in England where flooding was possible by 7am on Sunday, along with 10 warnings where flooding was expected. Cumbria police said it had taken "a number of calls overnight to localised flooding and fallen trees blocking roads" and urged drivers to "drive with care" while emergency services cleared the obstructions.

The amber warning sits within wider yellow wind warnings covering parts of England further south, north Wales and all of Northern Ireland. Meanwhile, hundreds of homes in south-west England remained without power after Storm Austen on Friday, which brought 76mph winds to St Mary's airport in the Isles of Scilly, 74mph at Aberporth in south Wales and 71mph at Culdrose in Cornwall.