Storm Éowyn warning from Scottish forecaster who 'has never seen anything like it'

A prominent Scots weather forecaster has said that the impending Storm Éowyn is the worst storm ever seen in her career.

Storm Éowyn, the fifth storm of the meteorological year, is set to hit Scotland and other parts of the UK over the next few days, with the Met Office has placed warnings for wind, rain and even snow for various parts of the country.

It is set to unleash gusts exceeding 90mph across exposed coastal areas of western Scotland, as well as Northern Ireland, northern England, and the northwestern Wales.

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In response, the Met Office has issued an amber severe weather warning for wind, alongside additional yellow alerts for snow, rain, and wind. Parts of southern England have been issued a level two tornado warning for severe wind gusts, stating that a strong event "can't be ruled out".

The latest weather event has forecasters in shock, with BBC Scotland's Judith Ralston admitting that this "major storm" is a first in her life as a professional meteorologist.

Writing on Twitter, she cautioned: "This is one major storm. I’ve not seen anything like it in my career. Please please keep up to date with the @metofficeScot @metoffice warnings there are numerous out right now including an amber high wind."

The storm is expected to sweep across the northwest of the UK on Friday, bringing a mix of snow, rain, and powerful winds as it tracks northeastward. Conditions could result in widespread travel disruption, power outages, and potential damage to buildings and homes before the storm clears by Friday night.

The UK is set for a significant shift beginning Thursday (January 23) as a weather front carrying heavy rain pushes eastward throughout the day. By early Friday morning (January 24), conditions are expected to worsen as Storm Éowyn sweeps in, bringing wet and windy weather.

Rainfall will initially fall as snow over parts of Northern Ireland, Scotland, and higher elevations in northern England, adding to the storm's disruptive potential.

Storm Éowyn, pronounced ‘Ay-oh-win,’ is set to make its presence felt across the UK early on Friday, bringing a surge of strong winds and heavy rainfall. Southwestern areas will be the first to experience the storm's effects before the turbulent weather rapidly spreads northeast during the morning.

As the system collides with colder air, snow is possible over parts of Northern Ireland, northern England, and Scotland However, the wintry conditions are expected to transition to rain as milder air sweeps in, leaving much of the region facing wet and windy weather.

Dumfries and Galloway is bracing for a challenging Friday as Storm Éowyn brings a potent mix of extreme weather, with winds reaching up to 90mph and snowfall of up to 10cm expected.

Meanwhile, West Dunbartonshire is preparing for powerful gusts as the storm barrels across the country.

Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Mike Silverstone said: “Storm Éowyn is expected to bring very strong winds and widespread disruption on Friday. There are currently a number of weather warnings in place, with all parts of the UK covered by one warning at some point on Friday.

“Storm Éowyn is expected to cross Northern Ireland early on Friday morning. It will then continue northeast across the northern half of Scotland during Friday afternoon and is expected to be centred near Shetland during Friday evening.

“The strongest wind gusts are likely to be felt across parts of Northern Ireland, southern and central Scotland, northern England and northwest Wales, where exposed sites could get gusts in excess of 80mph, possibly 90mph, which has the potential to cause impacts for those in these areas. The focus for the highest winds shifts to Scotland on Friday night into Saturday.

“An amber weather warning for wind has been issued and covers Northern Ireland, parts of Scotland and northern England for most of the day on Friday before winds gradually ease later in the day.”

The amber weather warning will be in effect on Friday, January 24, from 6am to 9pm, as Storm Éowyn sweeps through southern and central Scotland.

The alert spans from Angus in the east to Oban on the west coast, extending further to the Inner Hebrides, including the islands of Tiree, Mull, Islay, and Jura.

The Met Office has warned that strong west to northwesterly winds will persist into the early hours of Saturday as Storm Éowyn tracks northeast. Gusts are forecast to reach 50-60 mph in inland areas, with exposed coasts and hills bracing for winds of 60-70 mph.

There is also a slim possibility of gusts peaking at 70-80 mph across the Northern Isles, although these extreme conditions are expected to ease as the storm clears later in the day.

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