Megan Bonar
BBC Scotland News
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Storm Ashley in October was the first named storm of the 2024/25 season.
An amber warning for bad weather has been issued for much of mainland Scotland for Monday.
The upgraded warning covers most of the central belt and the north of Scotland and will come into force at 10:00 on Monday, remaining in place until 22:00.
The rest of the country, including areas such as Dumfries and the Borders as well as Orkney and Shetland will remain under a yellow warning from 06:00 until 00:00.
Storm Floris, named by the Met Office, is predicted to have “unseasonably strong winds”.
The amber warning covers a wide area from the central belt – including Glasgow and Edinburgh – to the Highlands.
Gusts of up to 85mph are likely to hit exposed western coastlines and hills, while winds of 70mph are expected elsewhere.
Winds will begin to ease in the west later on Monday but will remain very strong overnight until early Tuesday in the east.
Where will Storm Floris hit hardest?
Western coastal areas will see the highest gusts between late morning and early afternoon, with the strongest winds then transferring to the north-east, including Aberdeenshire, by late afternoon and early evening.
Power disruption is also possible while heavy rain and flooding could be an additional hazard.
Met Office chief meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said: “Across the warning area, many inland areas are likely to see gusts of 40-50mph, with 60-70mph more likely at higher elevations and around exposed coasts in Scotland.
“There is a small chance that some locations here could even record gusts of 85mph.”
“The strongest winds will most likely affect Scotland on Monday afternoon and night but “there remains some uncertainty in the depth and track of Floris”, a spokesperson added.
“Winds will first ease in the west during later Monday but remaining very strong overnight until early Tuesday in the east.”
The amber warning covers most of mainland Scotland
Trees are in full leaf at this time of year and are more likely to be toppled with branches broken off than during winter when the wind can whistle through them unimpeded.
The Met Office has advised flying debris and large waves could cause injuries and danger to life.
They also advised people to secure loose items such as garden furniture, trampolines, tents and sheds.
The weather is expected to cause disruption as many people travel across the country during the school holidays. Road, rail, air and ferry services could be impacted.
Ferry operator CalMac has issued a series of cancellation warnings ahead of the storm.
It posted on X: “Disruption to sailings is expected across our network on Monday August 4 due to forecasted strong winds across parts of Scotland’s west coast.”
Travel advice during Storm Floris
Network Rail Scotland has advised passengers to plan ahead.
The railway operator said additional staff would be on standby on Monday, including chainsaw-trained employees ready to respond to any trees on tracks.
Route director Ross Moran: “Our teams are already carrying out extra inspections and putting plans in place, including extra support.”
The AA has advised drivers to allow extra time for journeys or consider postponing until the worst of the conditions pass.
The organisation’s Shaun Jones said: “Keep both hands on the wheel, especially on open roads and motorways, and be mindful of high-sided vehicles and cyclists who may be more affected by gusts.
“Watch out for fallen branches or debris, particularly in rural areas – this could be tell-tale signs of a fallen tree ahead.”
The organisers of Fringe By The Sea have announced the cancellation of Monday’s planned events. The festival, which takes place in North Berwick, will re-open on Tuesday at 10:00.
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Storm Eowyn in January felled trees in Helensburgh and the risk of trees coming down is greater when they are full of leaves in summer
What is an amber weather warning?
Weather warnings are divided into three colours, yellow, amber and red – the latter being the most severe.
Yellow warnings are the lowest level of warning and are the ones most often issued. They forecast that some severe weather is possible and suggest people should start planning for some impact on travel, power or property.
However, when either confidence in the forecast of severe weather or the level of disruption expected increases, it is upgraded to an amber warning.
An amber warning essentially means there is a high likelihood of severe weather that will have a medium impact.
Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “This is a slightly unusual situation for August, however the message is the same as winter – plan ahead, check your journey in advance, allow extra time, and don’t take any unnecessary risks.
“Officials will be monitoring the situation and are ready to stand up the Multi Agency Response Team, if required.
“I am grateful to those who are giving up their weekend and time off to help co-ordinate the transport sector’s response. Traffic Scotland, Police Scotland, Sepa, local authorities and others will communicate any closures to the public and provide real time updates.”
