Storm Amy upgraded to amber warning

Strong winds during January's Storm Éowyn caused damage widely across Scotland

Storm Amy has been upgraded from a yellow to an amber warning for large parts of north and west Scotland.

The Met Office has warned of widespread winds reaching 60-70mph, with more exposed areas seeing gusts in excess of 95mph.

The warning is in place from 17:00 Friday to 09:00 on Saturday.

A yellow warning for wind gusting to up to 60mph - and up to 70mph in exposed areas - has been issued for all of Scotland, Northern Ireland and large parts of north and west England and Wales, from 15:00 on Friday to midnight on Saturday.

A yellow warning for heavy rain has also been issued for Scotland and Northern Ireland, with a forecast for 20-30mm of rain widely in a six to nine hour period.

The Met Office said 40-50mm could fall over the same time over some hilly areas in the south west and the southern Highlands.

The Met Office has warned of the potential for damage and power cuts.

Strong winds during January's Storm Éowyn caused damage widely across Scotland.

A large portion of the central belt and south west was covered by a red "danger to life" warning during Éowyn.

'Potent storm'

The amber warning covers much of the north-west across to Orkney

BBC Scotland weather presenter Gillian Smart said: "Amy looks like a potent storm, particularly for this early point in the season.

"An amber warning has been issued for Argyll, the Highlands and Islands, Moray and Orkney, where gusts of 60 to 70 miles an hour are forecast widely, possibly exceeding 95 mph in exposure.

"These are damaging winds that will bring down trees - which are still in leaf - and cause disruption to power supplies."

The peak of the winds have been from Friday evening until the early hours of Saturday.

Ms Smart added: "Some parts of western Scotland will see a couple of weeks of rainfall within the first few days of the month.

"Into Saturday, it'll remain stormy, though the heavy rain will ease to sunny spells and blustery showers, some of the showers heavy with hail.

"The strongest winds will transfer to the Northern Isles, where gusts of 70 to 75 miles an hour will continue into Sunday. Elsewhere, Sunday will bring calmer conditions."

Where has the storm come from?

A yellow warning is also in place for Scotland, Northern Ireland and large parts of west England and Wales

Met Office chief forecaster Neil Armstrong said Storm Amy would bring a risk of power cuts and damage to buildings and trees.

He said: "Within the amber warning area, gusts in excess of 95mph are possible from Friday evening and into Saturday morning.

"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."

Dr Simon Lee, an expert in atmospheric science, said Storm Amy had developed as a result of Hurricane Humberto in the western Atlantic.

He told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland: "You can think of Amy a little bit like a surfer, which catches the jet stream - that band of fast moving air high up in the atmosphere that influences our weather.

"Amy catches this wave to perfection and it undergoes a process called explosive cyclogenesis on Friday, which just means it rapidly intensifies."

A yellow warning for heavy rain has also been issued

Travel disruption likely

Douglas Cairns, operator manager for Transport Scotland, said disruption was likely across Scotland, with the worst impact expected in the amber warning area.

He told BBC Scotland News: "We're likely to see quite a bit of disruption with that warning in place, so we are asking travellers to plan ahead and be aware of the conditions."

Mr Cairns said drivers should check weather forecasts and consider taking supplies such as extra clothing if they go ahead with journeys.

He also urged people to let their family know of any travel plans.

West coast ferry operator CalMac said disruption to its services were likely, and asked passengers to check its website for updates.

Motoring organisation the AA has urged drivers to plan ahead.

The organisation's Shaun Jones said: "Storm Amy is shaping up to be a serious weather event, and we're already seeing signs of disruption.

"Drivers need to be alert, plan ahead, and avoid taking risks.

"High winds can make handling a vehicle more difficult, especially for high-sided vehicles, and surface water can hide potholes or cause aquaplaning.

"If you come across a flooded road, we recommend you find an alternative route rather than risking driving through floodwater."