SSEN said on 4 August 2025 that it had mounted a large response ahead of Storm Floris, which was moving across Scotland, with several hundred extra team members involved and disruption to the electricity network expected1. The network operator said it had been operating at its heightened "Yellow Alert" status over the weekend and that the storm's track had shifted, with projected wind gust speeds increased to as high as 100mph in exposed areas1.
The Met Office upgraded its weather warnings, according to SSEN. An Amber Weather Warning for Wind was in place from 1000 to 2300 on 4 August for most of Scotland, with a lesser Yellow Wind Warning for the whole country due to remain in place until the end of that night1. A separate Yellow Wind Warning for Orkney and Shetland was in place from midnight on Tuesday through to 08001.
| Area | Warning | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Most of Scotland | Amber, wind | 1000 to 2300 on 4 August |
| Whole of Scotland | Yellow, wind | Until the end of the night of 4 August |
| Orkney and Shetland | Yellow, wind | From midnight on Tuesday to 0800 |
SSEN said Argyll, the Highlands, the Western Isles, Perthshire, Angus, Moray and Aberdeenshire were likely to experience the strongest winds, and that the Aberdeenshire area could experience sustained storm-force winds that night and into the early hours of Tuesday1. It described the event as a relatively rare summer storm bringing sustained storm-force winds to most of its north of Scotland network area1.
"We've mounted a large response ahead of Storm Floris, which is now moving across Scotland."
The operator said planned network maintenance had been cancelled so repairs could be prioritised, extra network engineers were in the control room to remotely reroute the network around faults, and more field engineers were in place where the impact was forecast to be greatest1. Additional tree-cutting teams were ready to help engineers access faults, with SSEN noting that trees in full leaf are at greater risk in high winds, which it said had the potential to cause access issues for itself and other critical services1. The operation was supported by colleagues from SSEN Transmission, which runs the transmission network in the north of Scotland1.
Why it matters for households
SSEN said text messages had already been sent to over 100,000 of its more vulnerable customers with help and advice on preparing in case they lose power for a time, and that individual telephone calls were made on Sunday to the most vulnerable people in the areas expected to be worst hit, with offers of further, tailored support1. Households across the warned areas could see supply disruption from the morning of 4 August, with the Aberdeenshire area facing sustained storm-force winds into the early hours of Tuesday1.
SSEN asked customers to report faults by calling 105 at any time, or via its PowerTrack website or app, and said anyone who sees damage to its equipment should stay back, not touch it and report it1. It encouraged customers to save the 105 number, use PowerTrack for details of power cuts and restoration times, and read its "Preparing for a power cut" guidance1. SSEN said customers are eligible for its free 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. The register can be reached on 0800 294 32591.
For households preparing for storms and possible loss of power, the guide to storms and snow sets out the practical steps.
What happens next
The Amber warning for most of Scotland was due to end at 2300 on 4 August, with the Yellow warning for the whole country remaining until the end of the night and the Orkney and Shetland warning running to 0800 on Tuesday1. SSEN said its additional field engineers would fix faults as quickly as possible once it was safe to do so1. No further warning updates beyond those times had been reported.
