Scotland is bracing for the impact of Storm Éowyn, with widespread power cuts, school closures, and severe disruptions to travel across the country.
An estimated 10,000 homes are currently without power in areas including Ayrshire, East Lothian, Falkirk, the Scottish Borders, and Dumfries and Galloway, as reported by SP Energy Networks.
Storm Éowyn has prompted energy supplier SSEN to escalate their response teams to ten times the usual levels, with a red “danger to life” weather alert issued for the central belt and southwest of Scotland, where winds are forecast to reach speeds of up to 100mph.
This marks the arrival of what is expected to be the most destructive storm to hit Scotland’s central belt in 13 years.
Severe Weather Warnings and Impact on Public Services
As the storm arrives, authorities have taken steps to ensure public safety. Almost all schools in affected areas have been closed, with nurseries and early years settings in locations such as Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Stirling among those shutting down.
Specifically, schools in the following areas are closed:
Aberdeen
Aberdeenshire
Argyll and Bute
The Western Isles
Angus
Clackmannanshire
Dumfries and Galloway
Dundee
Falkirk
Fife
Perth and Kinross
Stirling
Edinburgh
East Lothian
Midlothian
West Lothian
East Ayrshire
East Dunbartonshire
East Renfrewshire
Glasgow
Inverclyde
North Ayrshire
North Lanarkshire
Renfrewshire
South Ayrshire
South Lanarkshire
The Scottish Borders
West Dunbartonshire
Schools are expected to remain open in Moray, Orkney, and Shetland. In the Highlands, decisions about school closures are being made on an individual basis.
Transport services across the country have been severely disrupted, with ferries, flights, and rail services cancelled or delayed.
ScotRail suspended all services, citing the danger of falling objects on tracks, including trees, which could trap trains. Police Scotland has also activated “Operation Overflow” to assist those stranded after cancelled ferry crossings.
In addition to the transport chaos, supermarket chains like Tesco and Sainsbury’s have closed stores across the red warning zone, prioritising the safety of both customers and staff. Delivery service UberEats has also suspended operations in the affected areas.
Power Cuts and Emergency Response
The storm’s effects have left thousands of residents without power. The Scottish government has urged people to avoid unnecessary travel and to stay safe indoors.
Vulnerable customers have been advised on how to prepare for the storm’s aftermath, with 170,000 individuals receiving text alerts from SSEN.
Parts of the Borders are seeing power outages that may last until late Friday evening, and emergency services are working around the clock to restore services.
At least one traffic incident, including a fallen tree, has already caused road closures, and major bridges, including the Forth Road Bridge, are at risk of closure to high-sided vehicles.
Warnings for Saturday and Beyond
While the red warning remains in effect until 5 p.m. on Friday, an amber warning for wind will cover much of the country throughout the day, including areas like Orkney and Shetland. A yellow warning for snow is also in place for central Scotland, Tayside, and the Highlands.
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes stressed the importance of staying safe, saying, “It’s crucial that people do not take risks in these conditions.” Forbes also emphasised the responsibility of businesses to ensure their workforces are safe, urging them to consider closing if conditions worsen.
Storm Éowyn: A “Once in a Generation” Event
BBC Scotland weather presenter Judith Ralston described Storm Éowyn as a “once in a generation” event, with some of the strongest gusts recorded around Islay and the Mull of Kintyre. Authorities are preparing for potential damage, with further weather warnings in place for the weekend.
