Storm Amy will arrive across the UK on Friday evening, marking the first named storm of the 2024-25 season. The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for wind from 6pm Friday, October 3rd, until midnight Saturday, October 4th.
Wind gusts of 50 to 60mph are expected across northern and western regions, with exposed coasts and hills potentially seeing speeds exceeding 80mph. The strongest winds are forecast over northern Scotland, creating difficult driving conditions for high-sided vehicles on exposed routes.
Regional impact patterns
Wales will experience significant impacts, with coastal areas and northwestern hills facing gusts up to 60mph. Only The Star Sheffield reports that this represents the season's first major weather system requiring official naming protocols.
Heavy rainfall will accompany the strong winds, particularly affecting western Scotland where totals could exceed 30-50mm within six to nine hours. This raises the risk of localised flooding in vulnerable areas.
Weekend weather timeline
Friday will see rain developing across most areas by 1am, with some parts of north Wales potentially receiving 16-32mm per hour. Wind and rain will intensify throughout Friday evening, becoming widespread and stronger by 10pm.
Saturday morning will bring widespread showers from 1am, with wind gusts ranging from 40-55mph until 7am. Conditions will strengthen towards late morning, particularly in North Wales where Holyhead and Amlwch could see 60mph gusts before settling in the afternoon.
Temperature drop and recovery
According to Manchester Evening News, temperatures will drop significantly from Thursday's 18-20C to just 10-13C on Saturday. The cooling will make the weekend feel notably different despite the gradually improving conditions.
Sunday will see winds easing slightly with patches of rain continuing from morning until mid-afternoon. South Wales will turn sunnier by 1pm, while North Wales remains largely cloudy with sunshine developing in areas like Brecon and Abergavenny by 4pm.
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, with gusts widely reaching 50 to 60 miles per hour inland in northern Britain, and potentially reaching 70 to 80 miles per hour in places."
The Met Office warns of potential disruption to transport, power supplies, and outdoor activities, particularly from Friday evening into Saturday. Forecasts and warnings will be updated as conditions develop.
Sources used: "WalesOnline", "The Star Sheffield", "Manchester Evening News", "Coventry Telegraph" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
