SSEN Distribution moved to Yellow Alert status in the north of Scotland on 19 October 2024 ahead of Storm Ashley, which it said would bring gale force winds on Sunday 20 and Monday 21 October1. The network operator said its weather model showed very high winds forecast for much of the north of Scotland network area from the early hours of Sunday into Monday afternoon1. The move followed a Weather Warning status issued on 18 October2.
The Met Office Amber Warning for wind is in place from 9am on Sunday for the Western Isles, the West Coast, Islay, Skye and parts of Argyll, and a Met Office Yellow Warning for wind remains for the whole of Scotland from 3am on Sunday1. SSEN's forecast figures differ between its two statements: the 19 October notice gives winds of around 50mph from around 6am on the west coast of mainland Scotland from Kintyre to Skye, Skye and the Western Isles, and gusts of 60-65mph across much of the north of Scotland, while the 18 October notice gave 55-60mph and 50-55mph for the same areas1. Both give the potential for gusts of 70mph across Sutherland, the Western Isles and Skye later in the afternoon, gusts of up to 60mph across Perthshire, Aberdeenshire and the Moray coast, and gusts of 60-65mph for Orkney and Shetland later on Sunday and into Monday1.
| Area | Forecast in the 19 October statement1 |
|---|---|
| West coast, Kintyre to Skye, Skye and Western Isles | Winds of around 50mph from around 6am |
| Sutherland, Western Isles and Skye | Gusts of 70mph possible later in the afternoon |
| Much of the north of Scotland | Gusts of 60-65mph |
| Perthshire, Aberdeenshire and Moray coast | Potential for gusts of up to 60mph |
| Orkney and Shetland | Gusts of 60-65mph later on Sunday and into Monday |
SSEN said it was activating well-rehearsed plans, with teams in place to deal with network faults and to fix any damage, and that staff in its Customer Contact Centres were fully prepared to take customers' calls and queries1. It said it had been telephoning its most vulnerable customers ahead of the storm and had already sent out nearly 40,000 text messages to other people listed on its Priority Services Register1.
"We're moving to Yellow Alert status in the north of Scotland ahead of Storm Ashley, which will bring gale force winds on Sunday 20 and Monday 21 October."
Why it matters for households
The alert covers SSEN's north of Scotland network area, with the strongest winds expected from the early hours of Sunday into Monday afternoon1. SSEN said customers should be prepared for the possibility of disruption to supplies, and encouraged them to save the emergency power cut number 105 to report any loss of supply or damage to the electricity network, and to use its Power Track website for details of power cuts and restoration times1. It asked anyone who sees damage to its equipment to stay back, not touch it and report it directly by calling 105 or via Power Track1. It also encouraged customers to follow its Facebook page (ssencommunity) for regular updates1.
SSEN said households are eligible for its Priority Services Register if they are deaf or hard of hearing, have a disability, live with children under five, are blind or partially sighted, have a chronic illness, use medical equipment or aids reliant on electricity, or are over 601. It said all its priority services are free, and gave 0800 294 3259 as the number for finding out more1. Its Power Track map also shows the nearest EV charge point for electric vehicle owners who need to charge during a power cut1. Our storms and snow guide covers household preparation for high winds.
What happens next
SSEN said it would continue to watch the period of weather closely as it develops and would issue further updates depending on the forecast1. The Met Office Amber Warning runs from 9am on Sunday, and the Yellow Warning for the whole of Scotland from 3am on Sunday1.
