Yellow weather warning as Storm Malik brings high winds and rain to the north

Yellow weather warnings are in place across all of Scotland, northern England and parts of Northern Ireland today and tomorrow, as Storm Malik is expected to bring high winds and rain.

There is an amber warning for eastern Scotland, where damaging gusts of wind will likely cause disruption to road, rail, air and ferry services.

Power supplies and mobile phone coverage could also be affected.

The Met Office warned: “Injuries and danger to life could occur from flying debris as well as from large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties.”

SP Energy Networks, the company responsible for electricity transmission in central and southern Scotland, issued safety advice around potential power cuts.

The company said customers should keep a battery or wind-up torch to hand and keep mobile phones fully charged.

People should also beware of fallen power lines, it said.

Network Rail Scotland said it would introduce some speed restrictions for safety, and have additional staff equipped with chainsaws across the network to deal with fallen trees on tracks.

Named by the Danish Meteorological Institute, Storm Malik is expected to bring in gusts reaching up to 80mph in coastal areas, but more widely 60mph, as it tracks eastwards towards Denmark.

Paul Gunderson, chief meteorologist for the Met Office, said: “The impacts of Storm Malik are going to be greatest in Denmark on Sunday, but the track of the storm in the preceding hours means that the UK will be dealt a glancing blow as Malik moves eastwards on Saturday.

“For those in the north of the UK there will be high winds and rain on Saturday, with showers possibly turning wintry in the high ground in the north.

“The highest winds are expected in exposed coastal areas in the north and east of Scotland, but it will be a windy day for most.”

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