Storm Floris LIVE: 90mph gales to spark road and rail chaos as tracker shows storm close

Britons are being urged to take extra precautions as Storm Floris is forecast to bring 85mph gales and heavy rain to parts of the country. The Met Office has warned people to only open doors when absolutely necessary during the storm, describing the incoming weather as “unusually windy” for the time of year.

The forecaster also recommends keeping internal doors closed behind you, parking vehicles in a garage where possible, and securing loose objects like ladders and garden furniture to prevent them from being blown into windows. People are advised to stay indoors as much as possible while the storm passes.

The UK is bracing for severe weather as Storm Floris threatens to bring winds of up to 85mph next week, the Met Office has warned. An amber wind warning has been issued for much of Scotland from 10am to 10pm on Monday, alongside a yellow wind warning covering northern England between 6am and midnight.

Storm Floris, which is the sixth named storm of the 2024/25 season, is expected to unleash “unusually strong” winds, with parts of Scotland at risk of gusts reaching between 80mph and 90mph. The forecaster has warned that the storm could pose a danger to life as it sweeps across the country.

Forecasters are warning of severe weather as gusts of 50 to 70mph are expected, even in inland areas. Exposed coasts, hills and bridges could be battered by winds reaching 80 to 90mph, and some models have hinted at the possibility of 100mph gusts—the kind not seen since Storm Éowyn in January.

The strongest winds are set to hit the western coastal areas within the warning zone, with the worst conditions expected between late morning and early afternoon.

As severe winds threaten the UK, the Met Office is urging residents to take simple steps to avoid injury and property damage. Homeowners are being told to check for loose items outside their property and make plans to secure them before conditions worsen.

For those heading out on the roads, experts warn that windy weather can bring delays and hazardous driving conditions. Travellers are advised to plan their routes in advance, monitor travel updates on the radio or sat nav, and look out for potential road closures. It’s also important to be prepared by packing essentials such as warm clothing, food, drink, a blanket and a torch, along with a fully charged mobile phone and an in-car charger or battery pack.

Travellers across Scotland are being warned to prepare for major delays as ScotRail confirms that no trains will run in Fife from noon tomorrow due to severe disruption. The rail operator has said it is likely that bus services will also be affected, and there is a possibility that bridges could close as conditions worsen.

People planning to travel have been advised to expect longer journey times and possible cancellations, with road, rail, air and ferry services all facing significant impact. There are also warnings that flying debris could result in "injuries or danger to life" as the stormy weather sweeps across the country.

Storm Floris has been officially named by the Met Office, marking it as the sixth named storm of the 2024/25 season.

Each year, the list of storm names is revealed on 1 September and follows an alphabetical order. This season began with Ashley, followed by Bert, Conall, Darragh, Éowyn and now Floris.

Storm names are chosen by the UK Met Office, Ireland’s Met Éireann or the Netherlands’ KNMI when a storm is expected to bring “medium” or “high” impacts.

Tomorrow’s performance of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo has been called off due to the threat of dangerously high winds from Storm Floris.

Forecasters are warning that the capital could be hit by gusts of up to 95 mph, prompting organisers to announce the cancellation on Sunday night. The decision was confirmed in a statement released at around 9.30pm.

The statement read: “We’re sorry to announce that due to adverse weather warnings, we have made the difficult decision to cancel tomorrow’s performance on 4 August at 9:30 pm.

“We understand this will be disappointing, but the safety of our audience, performers and staff is our top priority.

“All tickets for the 4th August performance will be automatically cancelled and refunded.

"Those wishing to rebook will find up-to-date availability at www.edintattoo.co.uk.”

HM Coastguard has warned people to keep away from the sea as Storm Floris is set to generate "huge" waves and rip currents.

Folks in Scotland have been posting pictures and video showing what they described as "the calm before the storm".

A tweet on X includes pictures of a flat expanse of clear blue water at Berneray in the Outer Hebrides while another shows Highland cattle grazing on a hedge.

Posted by X-user, @Arnbeg, the video is accompanied by the comment: "Trimmig the hedge might be futile… #stormfloris due in tomorrow".

The Met Office has posted this video on social media showing the wind speeds it forecasts for Storm Floris.

Well the answer at this point is not a lot. A search of the social media accounts of airports in the north of the UK resulted in just one piece of advice.

Glasgow Airport is advising passengers to check with their airlines for the status of their flights before travelling.

Belfast International Airport, Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Manchester Airport and Edinburgh Airport haven't posted advice on their X accounts or websites as far as the Express can see.

If you're due to travel during Storm Floris, then it might be worth applying Glasgow Airport's advice.

Scottish ferry operator CalMac has issued a series of cancellation warnings ahead of the storm.

It posted on X: "Disruption to sailings is expected across our network on Monday August 4 due to forecasted strong winds across parts of Scotland's west coast".

UK households with gardens are being urged to secure all garden furniture and sheds before Monday. My colleague, Claire Schofield, has put together some tips on what to do.

Hurricane tracker Zoom Earth has posted a video showing the course it expects Storm Floris to take, with timings.

It shows the storm arriving on Monday morning and moving off across the North Sea by around 10-11pm the same day.

Nick Finnis, a Senior Forecaster at Netweather, has suggested while Scotland will see the strongest gusts, further south it will be a windy day for all.

He said this applies to southern Scotland especially, but also northern England, Northern Ireland and north Wales where 40-50mph gusts are possible inland, with "perhaps" 60-70mph over exposed coasts and hills.

Mr Finnis added there would also be a spell of heavy and squally rain moving across northern Britain in the morning, with heavy rain lingering across northern Scotland.

He said: "So there could be some flooding issues locally too, especially across northern Scotland."

The weather expert said a cold front associated with Storm Floris will slip southeast across England and Wales through the day. It will bring a band of rain, which will be heavy in the north but brief and lighter in the south as it clears through in the afternoon.

The Met Office has said while winds are the main and most widespread hazard associated with Storm Floris, high rainfall will build-up over part of north and west of Scotland too.

It forecasts 20-30mm of rain falling quite widely with upwards of 40-60mm over some hills and mountains. The forecaster has also warned of the possibility of localised flooding (see the Met Office video forecast below for more on that).

The Met Office has just issued its latest forecast, warning of blustery showers, rumbles of thunder, falling trees, localised flooding and winds gusting up to 90mph.

ScotRail has said blanket 50mph speed restrictions will be in force across all its routes, leading to disruption throughout the day on Monday. It said no services will depart after midday on Monday on the following routes:

Edinburgh - Fife/Perth/Dundee

Perth - Dundee/Aberdeen/Inverness

Dunblane - Perth

Inverness - Aberdeen/Wick/Thurso/Kyle of Lochalsh

West Highland Line (Helensburgh Upper - Oban, Fort William and Mallaig)

Customers with tickets for travel on Monday can use them to travel on services today, on Monday morning or on Tuesday.

ScotRail said: "Storm Floris is expected to break recorded wind speeds for the month of August across many areas, making this an extremely intense storm for the time of year.

"Once the storm has passed, Network Rail engineers will need to inspect the closed lines for any damage, with passengers being advised that services will start later on Tuesday across affected routes."

A helicopter from Network Rail Scotland will help teams on the ground complete essential checks across the network as quickly as possible, according to ScotRail.

Rod Dennis from the RAC has said the unseasonable bout of stormy weather will mean drivers in the north and west of the UK need to take extra care at the start of next week.

He added: "It's the height of the holiday season, so those towing trailers and caravans, as well as those with roof and tent boxes, must ensure their loads are properly secured."

Shaun Jones from the AA said if you're planning a journey, especially through exposed or rural areas, then it's worth checking the latest forecast, allowing extra time, and being prepared for the unexpected.

He said: "Keep both hands on the wheel, especially on open roads and motorways, and be mindful of high-sided vehicles and cyclists who may be more affected by gusts."

Avanti West Coast has said it expects its Scotland-England routes to be "heavily affected" by Storm Floris.

The operator said services are likely to be impacted in Lancaster, Oxenholme, Penrith, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Haymarket, Glasgow Central and Edinburgh.

National Rail has been busy tweeting warnings from a number of rail companies.

It said LNER is advising customers not to travel north of Newcastle on Monday.

TransPennine Express is advising against travelling north of Newcastle and Carlisle on the same day.

Avanti West Coast is urging passengers not to travel north of Preston.

Lumo is advising customers not to travel north of Newcastle too.

National Rail said LNER customers with a ticket for Monday can use it today, Tuesday or Wednesday.

Transpennine Express customers affected by disruption can use tickets for Monday on Tuesday at no extra cost. Or they can apply for a refund.

Avanti West Coast tickets can be used today or Tuesday at any time via the same route.

Tickets for Lumo can be used on Tuesday or Wednesday on Lumo services only, according to National Rail.

And here's what the Met Office currently warns of in the yellow warning area:

Some damage to buildings "could happen", such as tiles blown from roofs

Injuries and danger to life from flying debris "are possible"

Power cuts "may" occur, with the potential to affect services, such as mobile phone coverage

Injuries and danger to life could result from large waves and beach material thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties

Some roads and bridges "may" close and road, rail, air and ferry services "may" be affected

Longer journey times and cancellations are also possible, according to the Met Office

The Met Office has listed what you should expect if you are in the regions covered by its amber warning.

These are:

Injuries and danger to life from large waves and beach material thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties

Some damage to trees and buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs

Road, rail, air and ferry services affected, meaning longer journey times

Some roads and bridges closed and flying debris possibly leading to injuries or a danger to life

Power cuts, potentialy affecting services such as mobile phone coverage

The Met Office has posted a video on social media showing the course it expects Storm Floris to take. Posted about an hour ago, the forecaster said the storm was "churning" over the North Atlantic as it approached the UK.

This map shows you where the yellow warning applies. As you can see, it covers the whole of Scotland and as far south as Leeds and north Wales.

The map below shows you the area covered by the Met Office's amber weather warning. As you can see, coasts and hills look set to see 80-90mph winds while 50-70mph is expected more widely.

Hello and welcome to our live coverage. We'll be bringing you the latest updates over the next couple of days as the sixth named storm of the season reaches the UK.