Unusually powerful winds and torrential rain predicted by the Met Office with the approach of Storm Floris
The UK experienced a significant summer storm, named Storm Floris, from Monday 4 August to Tuesday 5 August 2025. The storm mainly affected the northern half of the UK, including Northern Ireland, north Wales, northern England, and all of Scotland.
According to provisional figures from the Met Office, July 2022 was the fifth warmest July on record, with a mean average temperature of 16.8C. However, Storm Floris brought a stark contrast, with unseasonably strong winds and heavy rain.
The Met Office issued a yellow warning for Storm Floris, effective from 6am on Monday to 6am on Tuesday, warning those in the affected areas to be prepared for potential damage to buildings, injuries, danger to life from flying debris, and power cuts.
Winds during Storm Floris could reach 85mph in Scotland, equalling Scotland’s all-time August gust record. The areas under the yellow alert could see westerly wind gusts of 40-50mph inland and up to 60-70mph along exposed coasts and hills.
The strongest winds were expected to affect Scotland on Monday afternoon and night, with Northern areas of England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland being the worst-hit areas. Travel disruptions may occur on road, rail, air, and ferry services, with longer journey times and cancellations possible.
Heavy rain was also expected during Storm Floris, which could contribute to the disruption in places. After moving northeast across the UK, the storm cleared by Tuesday, but was succeeded by further unsettled, wet, and windy weather for parts of northwest UK later in the week.
The storm naming season runs from September last year to 31 August this year, and Storm Floris was the sixth named storm of the season. It was the successor to Storm Eowyn, which hit the UK in late January.
Despite the disruptions caused by Storm Floris, the weekend following the storm will bring a mix of sunshine and showers, according to the Met Office. No warnings are in place for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
It's important to note that there remains some uncertainty in the depth and track of Storm Floris, according to the Met Office. However, the public is urged to stay updated and follow any advice from the authorities during such weather events.
Due to Storm Floris, normality was disrupted in weather-forecasting as the storm's trajectory and intensity deviated from the initial forecasts. The unanticipated weather conditions brought by the war necessitated the issuance of a yellow warning from the Met Office, alerting residents about potential damages, injuries, and power cuts.
