Danger to life warning as Storm Ashley drives towards UK with 80mph winds

The Met Office has warned of a potential threat to life as it issued the amber warning for western Scotland for between 9am to 12am on Sunday

A danger to life warning has been issued as the first storm of the season is set to barrel into the UK on Sunday.

Winds of up to 80mph are to come crashing across the British Isles tomorrow as Storm Ashley makes her way over the UK's northern reaches. The wet weather and crushing winds have lead the Met Office to issue an amber alert for the northwest of Scotland, which will start at 9am on Sunday and finish around midnight.

Cities, towns and villages that fall in the amber area could see gusts as strong as 80mph. The Met Office noted that "injuries and danger to life is likely from large waves and beach material being thrown onto coastal roads, sea fronts and properties"".

And to make matters worse, there is also a "good chance" of power cuts affecting services like mobile phone coverage. Property damage should also be considered as the blustering winds could see tiles blasted off roofs.

Residents living in the region have been urged to protect their property and people they know from injury. The Met Office encourages people to check for loose items outside their home and plan on how best to secure them. Items to look out for include: bins, harden furniture, trampolines, tents, sheds, and fences.

Travel delays and cancellations are also likely with some roads and bridges possibly being closed. A yellow wind warning is also in place for All of Scotland, western and north Wales, Northern Ireland and Cumbria for the same timeframe on Sunday.

Meanwhile, a yellow wind warning will continue until 9am on Monday for northern Scotland. Storm Ashley will initially impact the Republic of Ireland before it hits the UK.

Head of Transport Resilience at Transport Scotland, Ashleigh Robson, said: “Storm Ashley is set to bring widespread disruption for travel on Sunday and into Monday. Passengers should certainly check with their operator, and with some families off enjoying the October school holidays, we would advise them to play close attention to any cross-border travel updates too.

“The Multi Agency Response Team will be in position to take decisions, oversee the network, and advise the public and update Ministers over the weekend as the storm sweeps into parts of Scotland.

“The strong winds may cause particular difficulties for HGVs and we would urge drivers to take note of the conditions, debris on the roads and trees falling onto some roads is a strong possibility. The forecasted rain will make visibility difficult when driving and could result in some localised flooding.

“Disruption on ferry services is very likely, rail services and flights may also be impacted. Please check with you transport operator for the latest information.

"The decision to cancel services is never taken lightly, but safety of passengers has to be the priority. Please plan ahead."