Tens of thousands of UK residents are facing prolonged power outages and transport disruption following the impact of Storm Floris, which brought wind speeds exceeding 100mph across several regions.
The storm, described by Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) as “the most damaging summer storm in recent memory,” caused widespread damage to infrastructure, primarily in the north and north-east of Scotland.
SSEN confirmed on Tuesday morning that power had been restored to 50,000 properties since the storm’s onset. However, approximately 22,000 homes remained without electricity, prompting the deployment of field teams and helicopter support to access and repair remote network faults.
“Now the winds have died down and moved into the North Sea, it’s become safer for our field teams to get to faults on the network,” SSEN stated, adding that some communities received meal provisions as part of emergency support.
The Met Office reported peak gusts of 134mph on the summit of Cairngorm, with winds reaching 82mph at Wick airport and exceeding 70mph across various parts of the UK. These conditions disrupted key services, uprooted trees, and caused significant structural damage.
Network Rail Scotland reported 119 storm-related incidents on the rail network, including 75 due to fallen trees. As of Tuesday morning, 30 out of 34 affected rail routes in Scotland had reopened. ScotRail, however, advised passengers to verify schedules before travel due to continued disruption.
Caledonian MacBrayne ferries also experienced significant service interruptions. Routes between Oban, Colonsay, and Islay were cancelled entirely, while half of the ferry services in western Scotland were affected. Passengers were warned of possible last-minute cancellations or delays.
Flight operations faced comparable challenges. Aberdeen Airport saw multiple flight cancellations and diversions. Two British Airways flights from London Heathrow and one KLM flight from Amsterdam were forced to abandon landing attempts and return to their origin airports. A Ryanair flight from Faro circled for over 30 minutes before diverting to Prestwick.
On Monday evening, the Scottish Government convened an emergency meeting of its resilience committee to coordinate storm response efforts. Ministers, including Angela Constance, engaged with officials from the Met Office, Police Scotland, Transport Scotland, SEPA, and utility companies to address the ongoing crisis.
The storm also caused logistical setbacks beyond transportation. Delays were reported in the delivery of exam results to students in some of Scotland’s island communities.
Looking ahead, the Met Office forecast more wet and windy weather beginning Wednesday evening, particularly across north-western regions. Deputy Chief Meteorologist Mike Silverstone said the next weather system would be less severe than Storm Floris but could still bring gusts over 50mph and up to 30mm of rain in some areas.
“An area of low pressure from the west will bring strong winds, especially for western parts of Scotland. Some heavy rain will also accompany the system,” Silverstone stated.
Experts point out that extreme weather events of this nature are becoming more frequent. Comparative data from past summer storms show a significant uptick in wind speed and geographic reach. Infrastructure resilience, particularly in rural regions, remains a concern amid intensifying climate patterns.
Public response has been mixed, with residents voicing appreciation for the swift response by emergency services but expressing frustration over the lack of preparedness and communication in some areas.
The government and utility providers continue to monitor conditions closely, with contingency plans in place should conditions worsen in the coming days.
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