Storm Amy forecast to bring strong winds and heavy rain in coming days

The first named storm of autumn is set to bring heavy rain and winds of more than 80mph to the UK, forecasters have said.

Storm Amy will batter northern Britain on Friday and throughout Saturday, the Met Office has said.

People are being advised to follow their local forecasts closely due to the "uncertainty about the exact track Storm Amy will take".

The yellow warning for wind comes into force for Scotland and parts of northern England at 6pm on Friday and runs until the end of Saturday.

The same warning has been issued for Northern Ireland, but this runs from 4pm on Friday until 6am on Saturday.

The Met Office said although gusts may reach 70mph in some places, they could exceed 80mph on coasts and hills.

Forecasters warned of damage to buildings, possible power cuts and danger to life from large waves in coastal areas and flying debris elsewhere.

"Gusts of 50 to 60mph are likely for many areas and may reach 60 to 70mph in some places for a time," the agency said.

"Exposed coasts and hills will see the highest gusts which could exceed 80mph.

"The strongest winds currently look more likely over parts of northern Scotland."

Check the forecast for your area

The winds are expected to ease for most areas on Saturday afternoon, but will still be "very strong" in some parts.

The spells of heavy rain will be "most persistent" across western Scotland, forecasters added.

Sky News meteorologist Christopher England said: "Potentially damaging gusts of 60mph are expected quite widely across Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland, perhaps higher for a time, while exposed northern and northwestern coasts and hills may see gusts of over 80mph.

"The far north looks most at risk."

The Met Office has also issued a yellow warning for rain that comes into force at 5pm today and runs until the end of Thursday.

'Risk of landslides'

It warns persistent, heavy rain may lead to transport disruption and flooding in parts of western and southern Scotland.

"The rain will turn heavier for a time during Thursday afternoon and evening, before clearing most areas by or soon after midnight," said the Met Office.

"During the warning period, 30-50mm is expected widely with 60-80mm possible in parts of the North West and on high ground.

"Coming on top of rain that has already fallen in recent days, this is expected to lead to a risk of landslides as well as localised flooding."

Forecasters warned gusts of up to 55mph could accompany the rain in exposed areas.

Wet and windy conditions are then likely to spread to much of the UK from Friday and into Saturday due to the approach of tropical cyclones Humberto and Imelda - which were previously Atlantic hurricanes.

Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Tom Crabtree, said: "Although there is still some uncertainty about the exact track Storm Amy will take, the system will bring gale-force winds across northern and western regions.

"Heavy rainfall is also expected, particularly over western Scotland, where totals could exceed 30-50mm in six to nine hours, increasing the risk of localised flooding.

"Forecasts and warnings will be updated as the situation becomes more clear, therefore it is important to keep an eye on the forecast for your area over the coming days."

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People using the transport network in Scotland have been told to expect "disruption" due to the poor conditions.

Martin Thomson from Transport Scotland said: "The rain and wind will bring difficult driving conditions, such as reduced visibility and surface water, and are also likely to affect the ferry and rail networks, so it's important to plan your journey ahead of time.

"Motorists should use the Traffic Scotland website before they set off to make sure that their route is available, and you should check with your operator if you are planning to travel on trains, ferries and flights."

Read more:
How are storms named?

Amy is the first name in the series of storms the Met Office is prepared for in the 2025/26 season, which starts in early September. It will be followed by Bram, Chandra, Dave, Eddie, Fionnuala, Gerard, Hannah and Isla, if enough storms occur, although the agency has named storms up to Z should 26 happen before next August.

Last year, there were six named storms, with 12 the year before - the most since the naming convention started in 2015.

(c) Sky News 2025: Storm Amy forecast to bring strong winds and heavy rain in coming days