Storm Éowyn: When did Edinburgh and Glasgow last have red weather warnings, record Scottish wind speed

It’s already seen trains and flights cancelled, schools and shops closed, and people have been warned to stay at home and not travel.

In Ireland a record wind speed of 114mph was recorded and an unprecedented number of homes are without power.

Scotland’s no stranger to windy weather though - or weather warnings.

Here’s what you need to know.

When was there last a red weather warning for Central Scotland?

The last time there was a red weather warning for Central Scotland, including Edinburgh and Glasgow, was on January 3, 2012 - for a storm, known as ‘Cyclone Ulli’, that was broadly similar in scale to Storm Éowyn.

It saw winds reach 90mph in Glasgow and 102mph in Edinburgh and was the strongest storm since Boxing Day 1998.

Many trees fell, blocking road and damaging power line, while trains between Glasgow and Edinburgh were cancelled.

Many building suffered structural damage, including a block of flats in Glasgow’s Possilpark area which saw its roof ripped off by the gales.

When was the first Met Office red weather warning in Scotland?

A year before the 2012 cyclone, on December 8/9, 2011, the storm nicknamed ‘Hurricane Bawbag’ hit Scotland. It prompted the first ever Met Office red warning for wind to be issued. It was less severe than Storm Éowyn is expected to be, with winds of between 70-80mph recorded.

What other red weather warnings have been issued in Scotland?:

A red warning was issued for Storm Arwen on November 26/27 2021 which resulted in three people losing their lives.

And in 2016, Storm Gertrude saw a red wind warning issued in Shetland. Wind speeds of 105mph were recorded.

What is the highest wind speed recorded in Scotland

According to the Met Office, the strongest wind speed ever recorded in Scotland - and in the the UK - was at Cairngorm Summit in the Scottish Highlands on March 20, 1986. A gust was measured at a remarkable 173mph.

When it comes to low-lying populated areas, on February 13, 1989, a gust of around 142mph was recorded near Fraserburgh in Aberdeenshire.

Where are the windiest places in Scotland?

According to the Met Office, eight out of the top 10 windiest places in the UK are in Scotland led, unsurprisingly, by Shetland and Orkney.

Here’s the full list and the average wind speed in each.

1. Shetland: 16.8mph
2. Orkney: 16.45mph
3. Western Isles: 14.5mph
4. Argyll and Bute: 13.92mph
5. Gwynedd: 13mph
6. Tweeddale: 12.65mph
7. Ross and Cromarty: 12.54mph
8. Banffshire 12.54mph
9. Sutherland: 12.42mph
10. Isle of Wight: 12.31