UK weather: Storm Ashley batters Britain with strong winds and rain

Certain areas of the UK have faced intense winds and heavy rainfall as Storm Ashley, the first named storm of the season, made its arrival.

According to the Met Office, the storm poses risks of injuries and potential harm to life, with wind speeds reaching as high as 80mph and heavy rainfall anticipated in certain regions.

A yellow wind alert was issued early Sunday morning at 3 AM for all of Scotland and Northern Ireland, along with sections of north-west England and Wales. The warning will remain in effect until midnight.

An amber alert was put in place for the north-western part of Scotland from 9 am to midnight. The Met Office cautioned that there is a possibility of injuries and serious risks to life due to large waves and debris being propelled onto coastal roads, waterfronts, and nearby properties.

Meteorologist Dan Stroud from the Met Office mentioned that powerful and intense winds, along with high spring tides, may lead to exceptionally large waves. The northern part of Scotland will be under a yellow wind warning from midnight until 9 a.m. on Monday.

Further south, the Met Office has released a yellow alert for the south-west region of England and south Wales, lasting until noon on Sunday. They cautioned that travel could be affected, power outages might occur, and there is a risk of flooding.

On Sunday morning, the Environment Agency's website showed that there were 41 active flood warnings, indicating that flooding was anticipated. Additionally, there were 132 flood alerts, suggesting that flooding could occur. These warnings affected regions around the River Severn, the southern coast of Cornwall, and the Wye estuary.

The Met Office has announced that Sunday will be largely windy, particularly in the north-west where there will be storm-strength winds. Rain and strong gusts will shift eastward, but later in the day, some sunny intervals are anticipated.

According to meteorologist Ellie Glaisyer, areas in western Scotland may experience wind speeds reaching 70-80 mph this afternoon. She also noted that many regions in England and Wales will likely become drier and sunnier, with some periods of sunshine later in the day.

Travelers in Scotland are being urged to refrain from non-essential journeys, and the annual Great South Run in Portsmouth, Hampshire, scheduled for Sunday, has been called off due to safety issues linked to the weather. Additionally, flights between Britain and Belfast City airport have been suspended until at least Sunday afternoon, affecting services to and from Dublin, Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Edinburgh airports as well.

Police Scotland is urging drivers to prepare in advance and steer clear of unnecessary trips, as road disruptions are expected. Meanwhile, Transport Scotland has indicated that public transportation, including ferries, may experience significant delays.

ScotRail announced that some of its train services would be operating under cautious speed limits. Meanwhile, the ferry company CalMac reported that numerous routes on Scotland's west coast had been canceled, with the possibility of further disruptions for other services.

Ch Supt Hilary Sloan, the head of road policing at Police Scotland, advised: "Ensure that your vehicle has enough fuel and is safe to drive, with tire pressure and tread that comply with legal standards."

Make sure your mobile phone is fully charged in case you need to call for help. If you expect to be inside your vehicle for a while, bring extra clothes and some water with you.

Stroud mentioned that powerful, strong winds would persist into Monday morning, which could lead to “fallen branches and trees” that might impact people commuting to work at the beginning of the week.

Winds are predicted to calm down on Monday, while rain is anticipated to arrive in the southeast. However, the northern areas are likely to stay windy for most of the week.

Meteorologists from the UK, Ireland, and the Netherlands collaborate to assign names to storms occurring in Western Europe. Storm Ashley received its name from Met Éireann, the meteorological service of Ireland.