Storm Boelo Brings 80mph Gusts and Rail Closures to Northern UK

Storm Boelo is forecast to produce winds exceeding 80mph across northern parts of the UK, arriving shortly after Storm Austen affected the south-west of England on Friday.

The Met Office has issued an amber warning, its second most severe level, covering Scotland and northern England down to Carlisle from 9pm Saturday to 9pm Sunday. A separate amber warning applies to the north-east of Northern Ireland from 9pm Saturday to 10am Sunday. A large yellow warning for wet and windy conditions covers the entire north of the UK from midday Saturday to 9pm Sunday, and a further warning for heavy rain covers Wales and parts of western and southern England from 11am to 11pm on Saturday. The forecaster has advised people to remain indoors where possible, citing a danger to life from flying debris and crashing waves.

Travel disruption is expected across ferries and trains. TransPennine Express has advised against all but essential journeys on Saturday and Sunday, while Avanti West Coast has urged passengers not to travel north of Preston on Sunday. The Met Office has cautioned that power cuts similar to those in the south-west could recur across the amber areas in the north. At one point on Friday, 31,000 homes in the south-west were without electricity; the National Grid map showed more than 3,700 still affected on Saturday morning.

Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said the winds are the main concern. "They're really going to whip up some strong gusty winds across Northern Ireland, northern parts of England and also Scotland through the day," he said, adding that they would strengthen toward the evening. Temperatures are expected to sit slightly above the seasonal average, though Burkill said the wind and rain would make it feel "pretty unpleasant".

Boelo's winds are expected to peak Saturday evening. Wet weather should clear overnight in many areas, though rain will continue to affect Scotland and Northern Ireland. The storm follows the UK's hottest summer on record, which included five heatwaves and 40 days above 30C. At a summit on Friday covering summer wildfires, Prime Minister Andy Burnham warned the UK could face "a winter of greater flooding" and said "we're living in a world where unexpected events seem to be becoming more and more common".

Boelo is the second named storm of the season.