Storm Amy latest: Weather warnings extended to cover entire UK ahead of 100mph winds and heavy rain

Met office has issued yellow and amber weather warnings for wind and rain across the UK.

The warnings affect the north of England, north Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland on Friday and will progress to the rest of England on Saturday.

The Environment Agency has warned that parts of the UK may experience surface flooding on Friday and Saturday as Storm Amy brings heavy rainfall.

Sarah Cook, flood duty manager at the Environment Agency, said: “Storm Amy is expected to bring heavy rainfall that may lead to minor surface flooding across parts of the north of England and Midlands this Friday and Saturday.

“Environment Agency teams will be out on the ground, taking action to reduce the impact of flooding and supporting local authorities in responding to surface water flooding. We advise people to stay away from swollen rivers and coastal paths, and not to drive through flood water as just 30cm of flowing water is enough to move your car.

“People should search ‘check my flood risk’ online, sign up for free flood warnings, and keep up to date with the latest situation with @EnvAgency on X.”

Big Brother will not be airing its live eviction tonight in its usual location due to safety concerns over Storm Amy, The Mirror has reported.

The live eviction will be taking place on the set of Big Brother: Late & Live instead of the usual location, which is outside the main set.

Around 50,000 properties are without power in Northern Ireland due to Storm Amy.

NIE Networks said there had been a “significant level of damage to the electricity networks” in the region.

It also said the number without power is expected to rise further.

Alex Houston, NIE Networks operations manager, said: “Our incident management centre in Craigavon has been opened as have our local incident centres across Northern Ireland with staff across the company being escalated to assist with the response effort.

“We have mobilised additional call agents to deal with any queries customers may have regarding the repair process in their area.”

The entire UK will be covered by weather warnings on Saturday as the first named storm of the season approaches, bringing gale-force winds of up to 100mph.

The Met Office has issued seven weather warnings ahead of Storm Amy, which is expected to bring “very strong winds and heavy rain” to northern and western areas on Friday, and all of the country on Saturday.

The Met Office gave a fresh update Friday on Storm Amy as heavy wind and rain spread across the country.

Every region of the UK is now covered by a weather warning, with the meteorological body adding or extending the alerts on Friday morning.

There are now three amber warnings in place across Friday and Saturday, where a danger to live is posed. These are in western Northern Ireland and Scotland on Friday, and only northern Scotland on Saturday.

Meanwhile, there are eleven yellow warnings across the weekend, with every area covered at some point.

Met Office chief forecaster Neil Armstrong said: “Storm Amy will be an impactful autumn storm for many in Scotland and Northern Ireland, though impacts will also spread to northwest England and Wales, as well as a more widespread windy period for the rest of the UK.

“Within the Amber warning areas, damaging gusts of around 100 mph are possible for a time on Friday evening for parts of western Scotland, especially Skye, Tiree, Barra and western Lochaber. This could lead to significant disruption, and brings the risk of power cuts and damage to buildings and trees. Elsewhere, gusts of 60-80 mph are expected more widely in the Amber warning areas, and slightly lower figures for those covered by Yellow warnings.

“Rainfall is an additional hazard, in particular over western Scotland, where totals could exceed 30-50mm in 6-9 hours, increasing the risk of flooding for some. A number of warnings have been issued covering the rainfall risk for the coming days.”

As Storm Amy threatens to bring dangerous weather conditions to the UK, the British Red Cross has urged people to take precautions.

Laura Scott, the charity’s head of crisis response and resilience said: “We’re reminding people to take simple but effective steps now to protect themselves, their families, and their homes.

“Hopefully these will only be precautionary, but we know from our experience that many people are not prepared or aware of guidance that will help them better withstand extreme weather events, like floods, in advance.”

“We have practical advice that can make a real difference – from securing loose items in your garden to checking windows and doors, and making an evacuation plan for your household, including pets.

“We also urge people to keep an eye on local weather reports and guidance from local authorities.”

The Forth Road Bridge near Edinburgh has been closed to all vehicles amid heavy rain and wind from Storm Amy.

Traffic Scotland urged drivers to use the Queensferry Crossing instead. The footbridge remains open.

Clackmannanshire Bridge, Kincardine Bridge and the A1 Tyne Bridge are expected to be closed for high-sided vehicles.

The Met Office earlier upgraded its alerts for Scotland, with an amber wind warning over the Highlands, Western Isles and Orkney Islands on Friday.

The alert will remain in place most of Sunday for the far north of the country.

With gusts of up to 100mph forecast, Storm Amy is set to be one of the most forceful to hit the UK in some time.

Past named storms since 2015 have seen gusts reaching 80-90mph, the Met Office says.

The highest wind gust recorded in the UK in October is 124 mph recorded at Rhoose, South Glamorgan, on 28 October 1989.

The highest gust speed recorded in Scotland in October is 106 mph recorded at Salsburgh, Lanarkshire, on 18 October 1984.

However, both of these events occurred before the Met Office started naming storms in 2015.

The Met Office says “it is possible” that Scotland could see record-breaking October wind gusts over the weekend.

Those living in parts of the Highlands and Western Isles have been warned of a “danger to life” from flying debris, potential power cuts as well as road closures and damage to buildings.

Aileen Rourke of SP Energy Networks said: “When extreme weather hits, the potential for damage to our power lines increases, which means power cuts can become more likely.

“We’re currently mobilising teams of engineers to the areas where we expect the weather to have the most impact so we can respond as quickly as possible.

“However, please remember our teams have to battle the elements too and weather damage can affect how easily we can access the affected areas.”