Warnings of damage and disruption as Storm Floris moves in

Scots are being warned to plan ahead and avoid travel as Storm Floris is set to batter parts of the country with winds of up to 85mph.

An amber warning for heavy winds has been issued for much of mainland Scotland for Monday.

The upgraded warning covers most of the central belt and the north of Scotland and will come into force at 10:00 on Monday, remaining in place until 22:00.

Trains and ferries have been cancelled ahead of the weather front moving in and scheduled outdoor events at Edinburgh's festivals are facing disruption.

The rest of the country, including areas such as Dumfries and the Borders as well as Orkney and Shetland, will remain under a yellow warning from 06:00 until 00:00.

Storm Floris, named by the Met Office, is predicted to have "unseasonably strong winds".

The amber warning covers a wide area from the central belt - including Glasgow and Edinburgh - to the Highlands.

Gusts of up to 85mph are likely to hit exposed western coastlines and hills, while winds of 70mph are expected elsewhere.

Winds will begin to ease in the west later on Monday but will remain very strong overnight until early Tuesday in the east.

Where will Storm Floris hit hardest?

Western coastal areas will see the highest gusts between late morning and early afternoon, with the strongest winds then transferring to the north-east, including Aberdeenshire, by late afternoon and early evening.

Power disruption is also possible while heavy rain and flooding could be an additional hazard.

Met Office chief meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said: "Across the warning area, many inland areas are likely to see gusts of 40-50mph, with 60-70mph 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 85mph."

The strongest winds will most likely affect Scotland on Monday afternoon and night but "there remains some uncertainty in the depth and track of Floris", a spokesperson added.

The amber warning covers most of mainland Scotland

Though rare, summer storms are not unprecedented. They pose particular problems precisely because they hit at this time of year.

Trees are in full leaf and are more likely to be toppled and limbs broken off than in winter, when the wind can move unimpeded through bare branches.

The Met Office has advised that flying debris and large waves could cause injuries and danger to life.

They also advised people to secure loose items such as garden furniture, trampolines, tents and sheds.

The weather is expected to cause disruption as many people are travelling across the country during the school holidays.

High-sided vehicles such as coaches and caravans are especially vulnerable to high winds.

What travel is being disrupted by Storm Floris?

There have already been widespread cancellations throughout Scotland's transport system on Monday.

Ferry operator CalMac issued an early series of cancellation warnings ahead of the storm.

It posted on X: "Disruption to sailings is expected across our network on Monday August 4 due to forecasted strong winds across parts of Scotland's west coast."

Network Rail has said a number of railways will close at 12:00 on Monday, while all other routes will see a reduced timetable and longer journey times due to speed restrictions.

Those lines which have been announced as closing are:

• Edinburgh – Fife/Perth/Dundee

• Perth – Dundee/Aberdeen/Inverness

• Dunblane - Perth

• Inverness – Aberdeen/Wick/Thurso/Kyle of Lochalsh

• West Highland Line (Helensburgh Upper – Oban, Fort William and Mallaig)

Ross Moran of Network Rail Scotland said they had taken action early due to the predicted "severity of Storm Floris".

"Weather specialists, based in our control room, will monitor conditions closely throughout the storm, and our teams on the ground will be ready to deal with any issues caused by the weather as quickly as possible," he said.

"We appreciate passengers' patience while we get through this unprecedented summer storm."

Rail, road and festival disruption

LNER, which runs rail services between Scotland's east coast and London, has warned passengers not to travel north of Newcastle on Monday as a result of the forecast.

Avanti West Coast has also advised passengers not to travel north of Preston as it expects its routes to be "heavily affected".

The operator said services are likely to be impacted in Lancaster, Oxenholme, Penrith, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Haymarket, Glasgow Central and Edinburgh.

The AA has advised drivers to allow extra time for journeys or consider postponing until the worst of the conditions pass.

The organisation's Shaun Jones said: "Keep both hands on the wheel, especially on open roads and motorways, and be mindful of high-sided vehicles and cyclists who may be more affected by gusts.

"Watch out for fallen branches or debris, particularly in rural areas – this could be tell-tale signs of a fallen tree ahead."

The organisers of Fringe By The Sea have announced the cancellation of Monday's planned events. The festival, which takes place in North Berwick, will reopen on Tuesday at 10:00.

Edinburgh City Council has announced that Princes Street Gardens will be closed on Monday and Tuesday as a precaution, leading to the cancellation of some Edinburgh International Festival events including Monday's ceilidh sessions.

A spokesperson for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society told BBC Scotland their customer services team would be in touch with those whose shows are cancelled.

Storm Eowyn in January felled trees in Helensburgh and the risk of trees coming down is greater when they are full of leaves in summer

What is an amber weather warning?

Weather warnings are divided into three colours, yellow, amber and red - the latter being the most severe.

Yellow warnings are the lowest level of warning and are the ones most often issued. They forecast that some severe weather is possible and suggest people should start planning for some impact on travel, power or property.

However, when either confidence in the forecast of severe weather or the level of disruption expected increases, it is upgraded to an amber warning.

An amber warning essentially means there is a high likelihood of severe weather that will have a medium impact.

Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop said a meeting had been held on Friday to ensure the country was ready for the storm.

"Given the unusual timing, and the fact some people will be on holiday, travelling or perhaps unaware, we are trying to raise even more awareness than usual of this potentially disruptive storm," she said.

"This is a slightly unusual situation for August. However the message is the same as winter - plan ahead, check your journey in advance, allow extra time, and don't take any unnecessary risks.

"Officials will be monitoring the situation and are ready to stand up the Multi- Agency Response Team, if required.

"I am grateful to those who are giving up their weekend and time off to help coordinate the transport sector's response.

"Traffic Scotland, Police Scotland, Sepa, local authorities and others will communicate any closures to the public and provide real time updates," she added.