Edinburgh weather: 'Danger to life' warning for wind overnight on Sunday

Met Office issue amber warning for central and southern Scotland as Storm Isha hits UK

An amber weather warning has been issued as Storm Isha hits the UK

A weather warning for high winds affecting Edinburgh and much of central and southern Scotland has been upgraded from yellow to amber, with the possibility of "danger to life", as Storm Isha hits the UK.

The Met Office amber wind warning comes into force on Sunday at 6pm and lasts until Monday at 9am, with forecasts of gusts of up to 70-80mph, and disruption expected to Monday morning travel.

A yellow warning for snow and ice covering Edinburgh and much of the central belt was lifted at noon on Friday. A yellow warning for wind has been issued for the whole of the UK as Storm Isha - named by the Met Office - arrives from the Atlantic on Sunday evening, but much of southern Scotland and northern England are covered by the more serious amber warning.

The Met Office said the amber warning meant there was a good chance that power cuts may occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage. Some damage to buildings was probable, such as tiles blown from roofs.

Longer journey times and cancellations were likely, with road, rail air and ferry services potentially affected. Some roads and bridges were likely to close.

And injuries and danger to life was likely from large waves and beach material being thrown onto coastal roads, sea fronts and properties.

Chief Superintendent Hilary Sloan, Police Scotland’s head of road policing said: “The amber warning for high winds means that there is a strong likelihood of disruption on the road network and as such, motorists are advised to plan ahead and avoid unnecessary travel where possible.

“If you do require to make a journey, then consider delaying until the weather conditions improve. However, if this is not possible then please ensure both you and your vehicle are suitably equipped to deal with the conditions you could face."

And Transport Minister Fiona Hyslop said: "Storm Isha will bring strong winds and rain on Sunday that will present challenging conditions for people, communities and the transport network. Police Scotland’s advice is to expect a high risk of disruption across the amber warning areas. Planning ahead will be vital and you’ll need to allow extra time for your journey if you do need to travel.

“The strong winds may cause particular difficulties for HGVs and we would urge drivers to take note of the conditions. Road maintenance teams have been out on the trunk road network to cut down over-hanging branches in preparation for winter weather – but debris on the roads and treefall is a strong possibility. The forecasted rain will make visibility difficult when driving and could result in localised flooding."