UK Summer Storm Sows Travel Chaos with Unusually Fierce Winds
Storm Floris brings record-breaking gusts and disrupts transportation in Scotland and northern England.
High-speed winds disrupted trains and blew over trees in Scotland and northern England on Monday, as an unusually fierce summer storm, named Storm Floris, hit the UK.
The second-most serious amber wind warning was issued across swathes of Scotland, with meteorologists warning that gusts could reach a record-breaking 145 kilometers per hour (90 miles per hour).
This marked only the third time an amber wind warning had been issued in August since 2011.
The UK's Meteorological Office stated that Storm Floris was an unusually strong storm for the summer season.
Some gusts in Scotland were likely to break records, as human-induced climate change is driving more intense and frequent extreme weather events globally.
Several train operators in northern England and Scotland canceled services, advising passengers against traveling.
Network Rail Scotland reported that a tree fell onto overhead railway wires in Glasgow, causing a fire, while multiple trees were blown over in Aberdeenshire, blocking roads.
In the capital of Scotland, Edinburgh, the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo marching parade was canceled, and Edinburgh Zoo remained closed for the day.
Storm Floris is the second named storm to hit the UK this year and the sixth one during the current storm season, which spans from early September 2024 to late August 2025.