Newly named Storm Ashley is set to blast the North East with strong winds and heavy rain this weekend.

The storm was named by the Irish Meteorological Service.

It is expected to initially hit the Republic of Ireland before heading north eastwards to reach the UK on early Sunday morning.

Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Tony Wisson, said: “Storm Ashley will bring strong winds for most of the UK on Sunday before it clears on Monday, with a chance of some disruption across parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland, Northwest England and West Wales.

“A period of especially strong winds is expected on Sunday afternoon and evening in western Scotland, where gusts could potentially reach 70-80mph in exposed areas and an Amber warning for winds has been issued here. More generally 50-60 mph are possible in some inland areas in other parts of the warning area, especially Northern Ireland and western Scotland, and perhaps up to 60-70 mph along exposed coasts and hills. These strong winds in conjunction with high spring tides, may cause some disruption. 

"It is important that people stay up to date with the latest forecast and our warnings.”  

Head of Transport Resilience at Transport Scotland, Ashleigh Robson, said: “Storm Ashley is set to bring widespread disruption for travel on Sunday and into Monday. Passengers should certainly check with their operator, and with some families off enjoying the October school holidays, we would advise them to pay close attention to any cross-border travel updates too.

“The Multi-Agency Response Team will be in a position to take decisions, oversee the network, and advise the public and update Ministers over the weekend as the storm sweeps into parts of Scotland.

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“The strong winds may cause particular difficulties for HGVs and we would urge drivers to take note of the conditions, debris on the roads and trees falling onto some roads is a strong possibility. The forecasted rain will make visibility difficult when driving and could result in some localised flooding.

“Disruption on ferry services is very likely, rail services and flights may also be impacted. Please check with your transport operator for the latest information. The decision to cancel services is never taken lightly, but the safety of passengers has to be the priority. Please plan ahead. The latest information on the trunk road network is always available at www.traffic.gov.scot.”