Storm Boelo winds to ease, but settled weather may take longer

Weather conditions are expected to ease after Storm Boelo, but a sustained return to calmer weather may have to wait until later in the week. The Met Office says another low-pressure system will bring further wet and windy conditions, particularly in northern Britain, before higher pressure potentially becomes more influential.

The Scottish Government said on Sunday, October 25, that some respite was expected during Monday, although adverse weather could return early in the week. The Met Office has already issued a wind warning for northern parts of the UK on Tuesday, underlining that the immediate improvement may be temporary.

Boelo followed closely behind Storm Austen, bringing another spell of strong winds and heavy rain. Ahead of its arrival, the Met Office issued amber wind warnings for Scotland and parts of Northern Ireland and northern England, with the greatest potential for disruption concentrated in the north.

In Scotland, the effects have extended beyond the weather itself. An update published by the Scottish Government on Sunday afternoon reported flooding at properties in Largs and Saltcoats, roads blocked by fallen trees and disruption affecting rail, air and ferry services across the transport network.

Electricity suppliers reported around 40,000 customers without power at the time of that update, with approximately 26,000 having had supplies restored. Continuing strong winds were hampering repairs, meaning recovery depended partly on conditions becoming safe enough for crews to work.

Transport Scotland said significant recovery work would be required in some places before services and routes returned to normal. Travellers were urged to check operators and official traffic information before setting out, particularly ahead of Monday’s return to work, rather than assuming easing winds would mean an immediate end to disruption.

The closely spaced storms have also increased concerns about flooding in Ireland. Met Éireann said rain associated with Austen had left saturated ground and elevated river levels, allowing further rainfall from Boelo to run off quickly and increase the risk of surface-water and river flooding.

Those risks do not necessarily disappear when the rain becomes lighter. Met Éireann warned that larger rivers can continue rising after rainfall eases, while fallen debris can obstruct drainage channels and waterways. Its forecast also indicated only a brief drier interval after Boelo, followed by another spell of rain and potentially windy weather on Monday.

For the UK, the longer-range outlook offers a possible change rather than a guaranteed date for calm conditions everywhere. The Met Office says higher pressure could help bring more settled weather to parts of the country towards the end of the week. Until then, the official outlook remains unsettled, with local warnings and transport updates important as the recovery continues.