Published on : 24 Oct 2026

Storm Boelo Amber Wind Warning: Scotland, Northern Ireland and Northern England Brace for 80mph Gusts — Rail Lines Closing, Ferries and Flights at Risk

TRENDING: THE MET OFFICE HAS UPGRADED STORM BOELO TO AN AMBER WIND WARNING FOR MOST OF SCOTLAND, PARTS OF NORTHERN IRELAND AND NORTHERN ENGLAND, FROM 9PM SATURDAY TO 9PM SUNDAY. NETWORK RAIL IS CLOSING SEVERAL SCOTTISH LINES TONIGHT, FERRIES ARE AT RISK, AND POLICE SCOTLAND IS ASKING PEOPLE TO CONSIDER WHETHER THEY NEED TO TRAVEL.

Published: October 24, 2026

Storm Boelo is a separate system from Storm Austen, which crossed southern Britain on Friday. It arrives on the last weekend of half-term, the same weekend the clocks go back.

The Warning

Item	Detail
Warning	AMBER wind
Valid	9pm Saturday October 24 to 9pm Sunday October 25
Yellow warning (wider)	From noon Saturday
Gusts	Widely 60–70mph, up to 80mph on exposed coasts
Peak	Strongest winds hit western Scotland and the far north of Northern Ireland on Saturday evening, spread east overnight and through Sunday, then ease from the west
Impacts (Met Office)	Flying debris likely and could cause injuries or danger to life. Power cuts likely. Damage to buildings and trees. Road, rail, air and ferry disruption, with bridge closures. Large waves and beach material thrown onto coastal roads and seafronts

Amber areas (Met Office list):

Central, Tayside and Fife: Angus, Clackmannanshire, Dundee, Falkirk, Fife, Perth and Kinross, Stirling
Grampian: Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray
Highlands and Western Isles: Highland, Na h-Eileanan Siar
Strathclyde: Argyll and Bute, Glasgow, Inverclyde, Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire and others
South-west Scotland, Lothian and Borders: Dumfries and Galloway, Edinburgh, East, Mid and West Lothian, Scottish Borders
Outside Scotland: Northumberland, Cumbria, County Antrim, County Londonderry

Some reports also list Orkney and Shetland. Check the Met Office page for the exact map.

The Met Office says it has “higher confidence in impacts and disruption” inside the amber area.

Trains

Route	Status (Network Rail, as reported by STV)
Kilwinning–Ardrossan/Ayr	Closes from 9pm Saturday, stays closed until inspected and safe
Crianlarich–Oban	Closes from 10pm Saturday
Fort William–Mallaig	Closes from 10pm Saturday
Kyle of Lochalsh line	Closed Sunday between Kyle and Achnashellach until inspected
Far North Line	Closed Sunday between Wick/Thurso and Helmsdale until inspected
Rest of Scotland	Speed restrictions from late Saturday. Services could halt at short notice

Forth and Tay bridge routes may be especially vulnerable to cancellations or diversions.
Avanti West Coast has advised against travel north of Preston on Sunday . Check Avanti’s page.
Northern has reduced services on several routes from Friday 23 to Monday 26 October.
STV attributes the closures to Network Rail rather than ScotRail. Check ScotRail, Avanti, LNER and your operator.

Ferries

NorthLink and CalMac warn of cancellations and delays through the weekend, possibly into next week.
Routes most at risk: the Hebrides, Arran, Islay, Orkney and Shetland, and the Irish Sea.
Corran Ferry (Highland Council): likely to be disrupted.
Port opening hours may change.

Confirm each sailing with the operator before you travel to the port. Sailings may be brought forward, retimed or cancelled.

Flights

Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh airports warn that strong winds may affect flights this weekend.
Other airports in the warning area include Inverness, Highlands and Islands airports (Stornoway, Kirkwall), and Belfast International, Belfast City and City of Derry.
Major airports can usually handle strong winds, but delays and diversions are possible, and shorter regional runways can have crosswind limits.
No cancellations had been announced in the reports we reviewed when this was written. Things can change quickly.
Loganair: free changes to another Loganair flight within 14 days of the original date, with no change fee or fare difference.

Check your airline’s live status before you leave for the airport.

Roads

Police Scotland advises considering whether a trip is necessary, or whether it can wait until conditions improve.
Traffic Scotland warns of a high risk of disruption, with bridges and exposed roads possibly restricted or closed at short notice. The A9 and A82 are named as exposed routes.
High-sided vehicles, caravans and motorbikes face the greatest risk.
Stopping distances on wet roads can at least double.
Transport Scotland is activating its resilience room and a multi-agency response team.

Clocks Go Back Tonight

The UK clocks go back at 2am on Sunday October 25, so you get an extra hour. Check the time on departure boards and booking confirmations. Overnight ferry and train timetables can show the changed time.

Your Rights

Situation	What generally applies
Train cancelled or you choose not to travel	The Office of Rail and Road says passengers who don’t travel because of disruption can seek a refund without an administration fee. Northern’s Delay Repay applies from a 15-minute delay. Check your operator
Ferry cancelled	CalMac offers rerouting or a refund for cancellations or delays over 90 minutes, but excludes compensation and accommodation costs for weather-related delays. Check your operator’s terms
Flight cancelled (UK261)	Refund or rerouting, plus meals, refreshments, and hotel and transfers where needed. Storms are extraordinary circumstances, so fixed cash compensation generally does not apply
Flight still operating	Not a reason for a weather refund unless your airline offers a waiver
Package holiday	The Package Travel Regulations 2018 apply to UK packages. Ask your organiser
Travel insurance	Cover for weather delays varies. Keep booking confirmations and disruption notices, and call your insurer before you rebook

What to Do Now

✓ Decide whether your journey is essential. If you can travel Monday instead, take the free change ✓ Check ScotRail, Network Rail, Avanti, LNER or your operator before leaving ✓ Check CalMac or NorthLink for each sailing, and keep your contact details current ✓ Check your airline’s app before heading to the airport ✓ Avoid driving in the strongest winds, especially in a high-sided vehicle or with a caravan ✓ Secure garden furniture, bins and trampolines ✓ Charge phones, torches and power banks in case of power cuts ✓ Stay away from piers, seafronts, cliffs and harbour walls ✓ Keep offline maps and a backup plan if you are in a remote area ✓ Re-check on Sunday morning, as winds ease from the west through the day

Where to Get Live Updates

Met Office warnings page
Traffic Scotland and Transport Scotland
Network Rail, ScotRail, Avanti West Coast, Northern
CalMac, NorthLink Ferries
Your airline and Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Belfast airports

Posted By : Vinay

As a lead contributor for Travel Tourister, Vinay is dedicated to serving our Tier 1 audience (US, UK, Canada, Australia). His mission is to deliver precise, fact-checked news and actionable, data-driven articles that empower readers to make informed decisions, minimize travel risks, and maximize their adventure without compromising safety or budget.

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Storm Boelo Amber Wind Warning: Scotland, Northern Ireland and Northern England Brace for 80mph Gusts — Rail Lines Closing, Ferries and Flights at Risk