Scotland’s weather: 80mph winds to hit at weekend

WINDS of up to 80mph are expected to hit parts of Scotland this weekend as the Met Office issued a yellow ‘be aware’ warning across the country.

Winds of up to 80mph and heavy rain are expected to hit parts of Scotland over the weekend. Picture: Getty

Forecasters also predicted heavy rain in western parts of Scotland this Saturday and Sunday. The whole of Scotland is expected to be affected by heavy winds on Saturday, with forecasters expecting gusts of 60-70mph to affect the Lothians, Strathclyde, the Borders, the Highlands and Islands, Tayside and the north east. Exposed areas of north-western Scotland may see gales of up to 80mph.

By Sunday, winds in the Borders and the eastern half of the Central Belt are expected to subside, but other areas of Scotland may remain affected, especially in the far north and north-west of Scotland.

A statement on the Met Office website read: “South to southwest winds will increase across many northern parts of the UK on Saturday with gales becoming widespread across Scotland and Northern Ireland along with parts of northern England.

“There is the potential for severe gales to develop, particularly across northwest Scotland. Gusts of 60-70 mph are likely within the yellow area with a risk of gusts to 80 mph or more across exposed parts of northwest Scotland.

“Some heavy rain is also likely, particularly in the west.

“The public should be aware that there could be disruption to travel and other outdoor events.”

Forecasters added: “There remains considerable uncertainty as to the extent of the very strong winds [on Sunday]. However the public should be aware of the risk of further disruption to transport and other outdoor activities and are also advised to monitor the website for updates in the coming days.”

The Met Office’s latest forecast follows a bout of severe weather that killed one person, injured several and paralysed Scotland’s rail network.