UK households with gardens are being urged to secure all garden furniture and sheds before Monday as winds of up to 90mph are forecast.
Storm Floris is due to arrive in the UK in the early hours of tomorrow morning (August 4), bringing powerful gusts and heavy rainfall across the northern half of the country. An amber warning is in place in Scotland from 10am until 10pm, while a yellow warning covers a swathe of the north of the UK from 6am until 25.59pm on Monday, including northern England, north Wales, and Northern Ireland. The Met Office is forecasting winds between 50 and 70mph in many inland areas, while gusts up to 90mph are likely on some exposed coasts, hills, and bridges.
While winds will be the most widespread hazard, the national forecaster has said heavy rainfall will also build up over parts of north and west Scotland. Up to 30mm of rain is forecast widely, and up to 60mm over hills and mountains.
Ahead of the storm, the Met Office has issued advice to households and is urging those with gardens to make sure all outdoor furniture is properly secured before Monday.
This includes bringing garden furniture inside or putting it in a secure place to protect it from the wind, turning trampolines upside down or securing them with tent pegs, locking shed doors, and moving plant pots to a safe spot. It’s also worth checking if any fence panels are loose and securing them, as well as removing dead branches from old trees.
In its advice, the Met Office said: “Don’t risk injury to others or damage to your property. Check for loose items outside your home and plan how you could secure them in high winds. Items include:
- bins
- plant pots
- garden furniture (bring inside or secure in place)
- trampolines (turn upside down or secure with tent pegs)
- sheds (ensure doors are locked)
Met Office advice also recommends that people stay indoors as much as possible during the storm and to avoid going outside to repair any damage until the storm has passed, as flying debris could cause injuries or potential danger to life.
The forecaster adds: “During the storm, stay indoors as much as possible. If you do go out, try not to walk or shelter close to buildings and trees.
“Keep away from the sheltered side of boundary walls and fences – if these structures fail, they will collapse on this side. Do not go outside to repair damage while the storm is in progress.
“If possible, enter and leave your house through doors in the sheltered side, closing them behind you.”