By Neil Shaw

Copyright walesonline

A Met Office amber warning for wind has been issued as Storm Amy will bring very strong winds and heavy rain for many in the UK in the coming days. The Met Office says Storm Amy is currently developing in the Atlantic and will bring disruptive wet and windy weather for much of Scotland, northwest England and northwest Wales from Friday afternoon and into Saturday. An amber warning for wind has been issued for northern and western parts of Scotland which comes into force from 5pm on Friday and will be active until 9am on Saturday. The warning highlights a danger to life, the possibility of power cuts, travel disruption and particularly dangerous conditions near coasts. Met Office Chief Forecaster Neil Armstrong said: “Within the amber warning area, gusts in excess of 95mph are possible from Friday evening and into Saturday morning as Stormy Amy brings a risk of power cuts and damage to buildings and trees. Gusts around 60-70 mph are expected more widely in the Amber warning area, in what will be an impactful autumn storm for many in Scotland. “Rainfall is an additional hazard, in particular over western Scotland, where totals could exceed 30-50mm in 6-9 hours, increasing the risk of flooding for some. Warnings will continue to be tweaked and amended in the coming days as confidence increases so stay up to date with the latest Met Office forecast and warnings.” Accumulating rainfall is a particular risk for western Scotland, with a rain warning already in force and further rain to come in the coming days. Wider Yellow warnings for wind and rain have also been issued in response to the approach of Storm Amy, with gusty winds around 60-70mph possible, even for some inland areas. Martin Thomson from Transport Scotland said: “Storm Amy is set to bring heavy rain and strong winds to parts of Scotland and we expect to see disruption to the transport network in the warning areas. The rain and wind will bring difficult driving conditions, such as reduced visibility and surface water, and are also likely to affect the ferry and rail networks, so it’s important to plan your journey ahead of time. “Motorists should use the Traffic Scotland website before they set off to make sure that their route is available, and you should check with your operator if you are planning to travel on trains, ferries and flights.”