An Amber National Severe Weather Warning for wind is in force until 23.00 on Monday and covers much of Scotland and has been extended to include Orkney.

A wider Yellow warning for wind is in force through today for the northern half of the UK, including north Wales, northern England and Northern Ireland. This warning for most expires at the end of Monday, though the Northern Isles have a further Yellow wind warning through to 8.00 on Tuesday.

Dan Suri is a Met Office Chief Meteorologist. He said: “Much of Scotland is likely to see gusts of 50-70mph with more than 80mph on some exposed coasts, hills and bridges. Western coastal areas will see the highest gusts late morning, with the strongest winds transferring to northeastern Scotland by late afternoon.

“Across the wider Yellow warning area, many inland areas are likely to see gusts of 40-50mph, with 60mph likely at higher elevations and around some exposed coasts.” 

Storm Floris is an unusually strong storm for the time of year, with only two Amber wind warnings having previously been issued in August since the Met Office introduced our impact-based warnings in 2011. Some sites in Scotland are likely to break their August wind gust records today.  

Warnings highlight potential transport disruption, as well as particularly hazardous conditions on immediate coastlines.

Martin Thomson from Transport Scotland said: “Storm Floris is now with us, so it’s important that people plan ahead when it comes to travel for the rest of the day. 

“The high winds and rain will impact the transport network. Expect disruption on roads and bridges, with conditions likely to be particularly difficult for high-sided vehicles. Traffic Scotland will be providing regular updates on the trunk road network throughout the amber and yellow warning periods via their website, X/Twitter account and radio broadcasts.

“Rail, ferry and aviation services will also be subject to cancellation, delay or speed restrictions, so please check with your operator before you set off to see how your service is affected.”

While winds are the main and more widespread hazard associated with Storm Floris, rain will be an additional hazard through the day, with northern and western parts of Scotland seeing 20-30mm of rain through the day, with 40-60mm possible over some hills and mountains.

Away from the immediate warning areas, a windy day is likely for many today, with a front associated with Storm Floris also bringing some rain for some central and southern parts of England later today.

What should I do?

Stay up to date with the weather forecast for your area and follow advice from emergency services and local authorities. Take extra care when driving, and out and about such as camping or near the coast – it is advisable to stay inside as much as possible within the amber warning area.

See here for more advice for staying safe in strong winds

Don't risk injury to others or damage to your property, check for loose items outside your home and plan how you could secure them in high winds. Items include: 

  • bins,  
  • plant pots,  
  • garden furniture (bring inside or secure in place),  
  • trampolines (turn upside down or secure with tent pegs) 
  • sheds (ensure doors are locked)

Find more preparedness advice as part of WeatherReady.

The 2024-2025 storm naming season so far 

Storm Floris is the sixth named storm of the 2024/2025 Storm Naming season. Storm Éowyn – which occurred in late January – was the last named storm to affect the UK.  

Although named storms are more frequent in late autumn and winter, it is not uncommon for named storms to occur in summer.  Including Floris, there have now been six named storms in August since storm naming was introduced in 2015, though some of these storms had more impacts with storm naming partners in Ireland or the Netherlands.

What’s next after Storm Floris?

Storm Floris moves northeast late on Monday and into Tuesday, leaving behind a breezy day for many in the north on Tuesday, with further showers over northern and some central and eastern parts of the UK. Further south, conditions will be drier and sunnier.

However, later this week there is a signal for further unsettled weather, with some strong winds and heavy rain late on Wednesday and into Thursday, particularly over Scotland. Further details will be available as we move through the week.

You can find the latest forecast on our website, on YouTube, by following us on X and Facebook, as well as on our mobile app which is available for iPhone from the App store and for Android from the Google Play store.