Winds up to 80mph set to batter northern UK as Storm Malik sweeps in
Northern areas of the UK are braced for winds of up to 80mph this weekend as Storm Malik sweeps in.
Yellow weather warnings are in place across all of Scotland, northern England and parts of Northern Ireland for most of Saturday, with high winds and rain expected.
There is an amber warning for eastern Scotland, where damaging gusts of wind will likely cause disruption to road, rail, air and ferry services. Power supplies and mobile phone coverage could also be affected.
Because of strong winds and rain overnight, Scottish Premiership matches between Aberdeen and St Johnstone and Dundee and St Mirren have been called off due to safety concerns around the stadiums.
The Met Office warned: “Injuries and danger to life could occur from flying debris as well as from large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties.”
SP Energy Networks, the company responsible for electricity transmission in central and southern Scotland, issued safety advice around potential power cuts.
The company said customers should keep a battery or wind-up torch to hand and keep mobile phones fully charged. People should also beware of fallen power lines, it said.
Network Rail Scotland said it would introduce some speed restrictions for safety, and have additional staff equipped with chainsaws across the network to deal with fallen trees on tracks.
Named by the Danish Meteorological Institute, Storm Malik is expected to bring in gusts reaching up to 80mph in coastal areas, but more widely 60mph, as it tracks eastwards towards Denmark.
Paul Gunderson, chief meteorologist for the Met Office, said: “The impacts of Storm Malik are going to be greatest in Denmark on Sunday, but the track of the storm in the preceding hours means that the UK will be dealt a glancing blow as Malik moves eastwards on Saturday.
“For those in the north of the UK there will be high winds and rain on Saturday, with showers possibly turning wintry in the high ground in the north.
“The highest winds are expected in exposed coastal areas in the north and east of Scotland, but it will be a windy day for most.”
Further south, the weekend weather will feature some blustery winds and some rain.
The storm will also drive a cold front southwards, with temperatures set to come down throughout Saturday and widespread frost expected to form across the UK in the night into Sunday.
More very strong winds are expected as another low pressure system moves across northern areas on Sunday, with some snow possible across parts of Scotland.
Another yellow warning for wind is in place for the northern UK from 6pm on Sunday until noon on Monday.