Wind Gusts of 85 mph Halt Power Repairs for 90,000 UK Homes
Grid operators have restored service to 700,000 customers, but forecasters warn of two new weather events that could stall further progress.
By Oliver Graham ·
Gusts reaching 85 mph in northern Scotland have prevented utility crews from safely repairing damaged infrastructure, leaving approximately 90,000 properties in the northern UK without electricity on Monday morning. The high winds, a lingering effect of back-to-back storms, forced engineers to remain off the lines until the weather system passes.
The Energy Networks Association reported that operators restored power to about 700,000 customers over the weekend. Lawrence Slade, the group's chief executive, described the period from Friday to Sunday as exceptionally difficult because Storm Boelo struck immediately after Storm Austen. He noted that the continuous wind speeds, which ranged from 50 to 70 mph across the region, made it unsafe for workers to replace poles and re-string wires.
The severe weather caused widespread disruption, including travel delays, flooding, and event cancellations. Authorities confirmed two deaths resulting from falling trees. A 60-year-old man in Dumfries and Galloway and a man in his 20s in Finchley, north London, were both struck by the debris.
Forecasters issued two yellow weather warnings for the coming hours. The first alert covers western coastal areas from Cornwall to south-west Scotland, running from 6 p.m. Monday to 3 a.m. Tuesday. Exposed coastlines may experience gusts up to 65 mph alongside heavy rain. The second warning targets most of Scotland from 3 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, predicting widespread winds of 50 to 60 mph and gusts up to 70 mph in the far north.
John Swinney, the First Minister of Scotland, met with senior officials and emergency responders on Sunday to coordinate the response. On Monday, he posted on X to offer condolences to the families of the two individuals killed by the storms and to thank emergency services for their overnight work.
Flooding affected several locations, including Largs town centre, where a resident reported seeing the highest water levels in 36 years. A local restaurant, Tha-Tien-Thai, shared video of its flooded kitchen and stated it would remain closed while restoration efforts continued. Emergency services also responded to a flooded care home in Saltcoats, North Ayrshire, on Sunday evening. Police Scotland confirmed that all residents were accounted for and that officers would remain on site through the night.
Source: The Guardian
