Power outages, travel disruptions and possible damage to buildings are expected this weekend as Storm Ashley sweeps across Scotland, bringing strong winds and rain.

The Met Office issued an orange strong wind warning for parts of the west on Sunday, with gusts of 70 to 80 mph (113 to 129 km/h) expected.

A yellow alert for strong winds blowing up to 97 km/h covers the entire country and for northern areas it will last through Monday’s peak hour.

Meteorologists say Storm Ashley, the first named storm of the season, will experience a rapid drop in pressure as it arrives from the Atlantic Saturday evening – a phenomenon called a “weather bomb.”

The expression is taken from the American term “bombogenesis”, used to describe a drop of at least 24 millibars in pressure in 24 hours.

This will bring strong winds, which will coincide with high spring tides, leading to the risk of large waves and coastal overtopping.

The Met Office said there was a high chance of power cuts in the orange alert zone which stretches from Argyll to Cape Wrath in the north and covers many of the country’s island communities.

Weather alert issued

There could also be damage to buildings such as torn off roof tiles, bridge and road closures, train cancellations and risk of death from high waves during the orange alert period from Sunday, which extends from 9:00 a.m. to midnight.

The yellow warning affecting the whole of Scotland starts earlier – from 03:00 on Sunday and will last until 09:00 on Monday for the northern half of the country.

Some ferry routes have already been completely canceled on Sunday, including Ardrossan – Brodick, Troon – Brodick and Oban – Castlebay.

CalMac warned that more services could be canceled at short notice on Sunday and Monday. Passengers are advised to check the status of their ferry in advance.

And major bridge works on the M8 planned for this weekend have been postponed to October 25-28.

In Argyll, the old military road was opened as a precaution in case the A83 Rest And Be Thankful had to close due to rain, Bear Scotland – which maintains the roads – said.

Transport Scotland spokesperson Danny Chalmers told BBC News that people across Scotland should be on “high alert” and all areas could expect travel disruption on Sunday .

He said: “Please be very careful as this is the first named storm of the season and people may not be used to driving in these very, very windy conditions.

“We had a record number of storms last year, so we are asking people to check before traveling and allow extra time for their trip.

“When you get gusts of 80 mph, there will obviously be a significant impact on ferries and speed restrictions on rail travel and bridges. Police Scotland have made it clear there will be an impact on transport.

He acknowledged that many people were still suffering from the effects of last year’s storms, particularly those in Brechin who were hit by Storm Babet and had still not returned home.

Mr Chalmers added: “It is simply impossible to predict how many of these storms we are unfortunately going to have. »

He said the winds were likely to particularly affect heavy trucks and that other drivers should watch out for fallen trees or debris on the roads.

Superintendent Hilary Sloan, Police Scotland’s head of road policing, urged drivers in the amber alert zone to plan ahead.

“If you are traveling, make sure your vehicle has enough fuel and is in full working order,” she said.

“Make sure your cell phone is fully charged in case you need to call for help and if you are likely to be in your vehicle for long periods of time, carry extra clothing and water with you.”

The Met Office also advises people to check for any loose items outside their home, such as trampolines or garden furniture.

Storm Ashley will be very powerful in terms of wind strength, with storm force gusts of 70 to 80 mph expected in the orange warning zone and gusts of 50 to 70 mph elsewhere across Scotland.

The timing of this storm will also increase its impact. Current high tides due to the full moon will increase the risk of flooding and coastal disruption.

At this start of the season, many trees are still in full leaf, making them more likely to be damaged or even blown down by high winds.

And in many cases, garden furniture and toys are still outside – so make sure anything that could be blown away is secure.

The strongest winds are expected to blow later Sunday afternoon, and last through the evening and early part of the night.

It will still be very windy on Monday, especially in the north, but the winds will slowly moderate as the day goes on. Tuesday and Wednesday seem to be quieter days.

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