The Met Office has warned that next week, Storm Floris will lash the UK with unusually high gusts and torrential rain. Monday afternoon and night are predicted to bring the strongest winds to Scotland, with exposed hills and beaches potentially seeing gusts of up to 85 mph.
From 6 a.m. on Monday through 6 a.m. on Tuesday, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Northern Wales, and the Northern part of England are under a yellow weather warning for wind. Additionally, heavy rain is predicted, which could cause transportation disruptions.
According to forecasts, the most recent storm of 2025 in the UK will bring “unusually windy weather” for this time of year.
Westerly gusts of 40 to 50 mph are expected in many inland areas of the warning region, and they may reach 70 mph on exposed beaches and high ground. Winds of up to 85 mph are possible on Scottish highlands and beaches.
The Met Office stated that “there remains some uncertainty in the depth and track of Floris,” but the heaviest winds are expected to hit Scotland on Monday afternoon and evening.
“Winds will first ease in the West during later Monday but remain very strong overnight until early Tuesday in the East.”
Scotland, portions of Northern Ireland, north Wales, and the northern section of England are all included in the alert zone.
Chief Meteorologist Matthew Lehnert of the Met Office also said: “Across the warning area, many inland areas are likely to see gusts of 40 to 50 mph, with 60 to 70 mph more likely at higher elevations and around exposed coasts in Scotland. There is a small chance that some locations here could even record gusts of 85 mph.
The region of rain and clouds that will deliver on Thursday morning, Storm Floris, was merely a group of intense showers that passed close to the US Great Lakes. As it moves towards the UK, it is anticipated to be captured by an active jet stream across the Atlantic.
In the 2024-2025 season, Storm Floris is the sixth storm to be named. Storm Éowyn, which aired in January, was the most recent episode. Named storms are more likely to occur in late fall and winter, but they can also occur in summer, according to the Met Office.
It comes after three consecutive heatwaves and the driest spring the UK has seen in over a century. Since records have been kept, June was the warmest month.
Farmers in the UK warned of possible food shortages after being forced to harvest their crops early to prevent damage due to the extreme heat, which resulted in hosepipe bans in many areas.
Scotland and Northern Ireland had their sixth warmest July, England their seventh, and Wales their tenth. All four of the UK countries had one of their top ten warmest Julys.