Injuries and danger to life are likely during the 80mph winds set to hit parts of the UK this weekend in the first named storm of the season, the Met Office has said.
It has issued an amber weather warning ahead of Storm Ashley for the north-west of Scotland on Sunday, as well as a yellow warning for the entirety of Scotland and Northern Ireland, and parts of north-west England and Wales.
The amber warning will be in force from 9am on Sunday until midnight, and the yellow between 3am and midnight.
Gusts of 80mph could hit north-west Scotland and “injuries and danger to life is likely from large waves and beach material being thrown onto coastal roads, sea fronts and properties”, the Met Office said.
There is “a good chance” of power cuts in that area which could affect mobile phone coverage and buildings will probably be damaged, such as by tiles blowing off roofs.
Disruption or cancellations to road, rail, air and ferry services are likely, as well as road and bridge closures.
Those kinds of wind gusts could cause considerable disruption, damage to buildings, transport disruptions of the ferry crossings, for example
Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern, on Storm Ashley
Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern said on Friday evening: “At the time of recording, Storm Ashley is on the other side of the Atlantic and a relatively shallow area of low pressure.
“It deepens rapidly as it gets picked up by the jet stream during Saturday and ends up as a particularly deep area of low pressure, with a widespread swathe of gales and wind gusts in excess of 60mph for many western and northern parts of the country.”
Clouds will thicken and wind will strengthen in the early hours of Sunday, and outbreaks of rain will hit Northern Ireland and the west of the UK, he said.
That rain will be heavy at times and accompanied by gales as the strong winds start, he added.
Western parts of the UK could wake up to 50mph to 60mph winds and heavy rain that day, particularly affecting exposed coasts and hills.
Sunday’s strongest winds will sweep exposed parts of Northern Ireland and western Scotland, with 70mph gusts likely.
They could reach 80mph “or perhaps a fraction more” in parts of western Scotland, Mr McGivern added.
He said: “Those kinds of wind gusts could cause considerable disruption, damage to buildings, transport disruptions of the ferry crossings, for example.
“And also the risk to coastal communities of flooding because these winds coincide with high tides, so that risk is especially great.”
He added that the winds will continue through Sunday and peak in the evening.
Storm Ashley is expected to clear on Monday.
Transport Scotland has warned of likely disruptions to public transport, including the country’s ferry network.
A statement said: “A windy period is expected across the whole of the UK on Sunday and into Monday, but across parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland, north-west England and north-west Wales there is an increased chance of some disruption.
“These strong winds in conjunction with high spring tides may cause some disruption.”
Families travelling during the October school holidays have been advised to check for cancellations.