Storm Amy, the first storm of the 2025/2026 season, brought strong winds and heavy rain to north-western parts of the UK on 3 and 4 October 20251. The Met Office reports that twelve stations with 30+ year records set their highest October maximum gust speed on record during the storm1.
The strongest winds were across north-western parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland, with gusts over 70Kt (81mph) in exposed locations and the highest recorded gusts over 80Kt (92mph)1. Gusts reached 83Kt (96mph) at Tiree in Argyll, 80Kt (92mph) at Magilligan in County Londonderry, 76Kt (87mph) at Tain Range and 73Kt (84mph) at Loch Glascarnoch, both in Ross & Cromarty, and 70Kt (81mph) at Islay Port Ellen in Argyll and Inverbervie in Kincardineshire1. Gusts also exceeded 70Kt (81mph) in parts of Wales, with 74Kt (85mph) at Capel Curig in Conwy and Lake Vyrnwy in Powys1. At mountain stations, gusts reached 90Kt (104mph) at Bealach na Ba, 98Kt (113mph) at Aonach Mor and 118Kt (136mph) at Cairngorm Summit, the last being the UK's highest recorded gust speed since 122Kt (140mph) from Storm Jocelyn on 24 January 20241.
The 80Kt gust at Magilligan set a new highest maximum gust speed record for Northern Ireland for the month of October, although the Met Office notes it fell well short of the record for any month for the Province, 108Kt (124mph) at Kilkeel, County Down, on 12 January 19741. Baltasound, near the most northerly point of Shetland, recorded a pressure of 947.9 hPa at 0500 UTC on 4 October, setting a new October record for the UK1.
The twelve stations listed by the Met Office are:
| Station | Max gust (Kt) | Previous record (Kt) | Previous date | Record length (years) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lossiemouth, Moray | 69 | 68 | 6 Oct 1976 | 49 |
| Tiree, Argyll | 83 | 68 | 20 Oct 2024 | 48 |
| Aldergrove, County Antrim | 62 | 54 | 6 Oct 1976 | 45 |
| Kinloss, Moray | 69 | 65 | 30 Oct 1986 | 37 |
| Loch Glascarnoch, Ross & Cromarty | 73 | 65 | 31 Oct 2020 | 35 |
| Tain Range, Ross & Cromarty | 76 | 64 | 25 Oct 1995 | 31 |
| Strathallan Airfield, Perthshire | 57 | 49 | 29 Oct 2000 | 31 |
| Tulloch Bridge, Inverness-shire | 62 | 54 | 23 Oct 2008 | 30 |
| Inverbervie, Kincardineshire | 70 | 68 | 26 Oct 2006 | 30 |
| Eskdalemuir, Dumfriesshire | 55 | 50 | 17 Oct 2011 | 30 |
| Spadeadam, Cumbria | 61 | 55 | 27 Oct 1998 | 30 |
| Shap, Cumbria | 62 | 58 | 16 Oct 2017 | 30 |
More than 25 stations recorded over 60Kt (69mph), the most for an October storm in the UK since 27 October 20021. The Met Office describes Amy as an unusually severe storm for the month of October for Scotland and Northern Ireland, although not unprecedented, and notes that October storms tend to be slightly less severe than those in December, January or February1.
"Twelve stations with 30+ year records set their highest October maximum gust speed on record."
Why it matters for households
The storm caused widespread disruption across Scotland and Northern Ireland. Over 40,000 properties in Scotland and 50,000 in Northern Ireland were reported to be without power, with work to restore supplies in some areas lasting several days1. Fallen trees, flooding and debris resulted in transport disruption across Scotland, with several rail lines closed including all services out of Glasgow1. Scotland's west coast ferry services and ferry crossings to Northern Ireland were disrupted or cancelled, the Forth Road Bridge was closed to all vehicles, several flights were cancelled and Northern Ireland's rail services were suspended1. All eight of London's Royal Parks were closed as a precautionary measure1.
Heavy rain accompanied the winds, with 50 to 75mm or more falling widely across northern areas on 3 October, and 100 to 150mm or more across western and northern upland areas in the first four days of the month1. Alltdearg House on the Isle of Skye recorded 240.6mm from 1 to 4 October, over half the October 1991-2020 long term average at that station1. The Met Office's account of the storm, including its record tables, is set out in its storms and snow material.
What happens next
No further steps have been reported.
Sources (1)
- metoffice.gov.uk, metoffice.gov.uk
