Storm Dave named by Met Office

The Met Office named Storm Dave on 2 April 2026, forecasting damaging winds across northern parts of the UK and some disruptive snow possible in northwest Scotland later on Saturday and into Easter Day¹. Amber and yellow National Severe Weather Warnings were issued for parts of northern England, North Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland¹.

An Amber warning for wind was in place from 7 pm on Saturday 4 April to 3 am on Sunday 5 April, covering northern England, southern Scotland and northwest Wales¹. The Met Office said gusts of 60 to 70 mph were possible in some locations, with a risk of power cuts, travel disruption and difficult conditions along coasts¹. It said wind speeds would peak at different times as the deep area of low pressure moved across the north of the UK, with peak gusts in Northern Ireland expected earlier on Saturday afternoon before spreading more widely across the north¹.

A Yellow warning for snow ran from 3 pm on Saturday to 3 am on Sunday, covering parts of northwest Scotland¹. The Met Office said accumulations of 5 to 10cm were possible at locations over 200m in northern Scotland, with some areas seeing 10 to 20cm, and that strong wind, blizzards and drifting snow would be an additional hazard¹. Yellow warnings for wind and snow were also in place across a broader area of northern England, Scotland and Northern Ireland¹.

Met Office Chief Meteorologist Chris Bulmer said:

The RAC spokesperson Rod Dennis said the storm was set to make driving conditions across the north and west of the UK particularly challenging over Easter, and that while leisure traffic volumes were expected to be slightly lower on Saturday and Sunday than for the rest of the bank holiday, there would still be millions of people on the roads visiting friends and family¹. The RAC recommended taking extra care on exposed, higher routes and being especially cautious when overtaking high-sided vehicles, and said slowing down and keeping a firm grip on the steering wheel were both vital in these conditions¹.

Why it matters for households

Households in northern England, southern Scotland, northwest Wales and Northern Ireland are affected from Saturday evening into the early hours of Sunday, with snow warnings in parts of northwest Scotland from Saturday afternoon¹. The Met Office warns of possible power cuts, travel disruption and difficult conditions along coasts¹. Further south, conditions were expected to be breezy at times but generally drier, with showers moving through quickly and some sunny spells, particularly on Sunday afternoon and at times on Monday¹. The Met Office's naming of the storm and the warning levels are explained in its guidance on named storms, and the site's storms and snow section covers practical preparation for wind and snow.

What happens next

Winds were expected to ease as Storm Dave cleared into the North Sea on Sunday, with blustery showers continuing across Scotland and Northern Ireland while much of England and Wales became fine¹. The Met Office said Easter Monday would be the driest day of the Easter weekend, with a ridge of high pressure bringing a more settled day and sunny spells in most areas after a chilly night¹. A warmer spell was likely into midweek before the outlook turned more unsettled, with bands of cloud and rain moving in from the west¹. The Met Office's guidance on whether to delay a journey in bad weather sets out how to weigh travel plans against conditions.