Overview

• The Met Office expanded yellow wind warnings to cover all of the UK into Saturday, alongside amber wind alerts for parts of Northern Ireland and northern and western Scotland where exposed areas could see 95–100 mph gusts.
• Forecasters warn of intense rainfall focused on western Scotland, with 30–50 mm possible in 6–9 hours and flood alerts issued for areas including Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway.
• Rail operators are curbing services, with several ScotRail lines closing from 6pm Friday and network-wide speed restrictions from 7pm, while the Caledonian Sleeper is cancelled and some ferries and bridges, including the Forth Road Bridge, are closed.
• Northern Ireland’s Education Authority advised schools in counties Antrim, Londonderry, Tyrone and Fermanagh to close at noon, and authorities urge the public to secure loose items and check journeys.
• Energy distributors SSEN and SP Energy Networks have mobilised additional engineers for likely faults and potential power cuts, and Network Rail asked residents near tracks to secure items that could blow onto lines.