Christmas travel plans could be under threat as Storm Pia is set to bring winds of up to 80mph to parts of the UK.
The Met Office has issued a weather warning for high winds for the northern half of the country today, bringing the potential for travel chaos in the run-up to Christmas.
A yellow wind warning, first issued on Monday, has been amended, with the end time brought forward three hours to 9pm and the warning impact level updated.
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Winds of between 70mph and 80mph are forecast for northern Scotland, with up to 65-70mph on high ground.
In other parts of Scotland, as well as Northern Ireland, North Wales and England north from Birmingham, as well as the top half of East Anglia, winds could reach speeds of 45-55mph.
Travel plans are likely to be affected in areas covered by the warning, the Met Office said, with power cuts possible.
A train operator has “strongly” urged its customers not to travel on services to and from Edinburgh before mid-afternoon, as Storm Pia is expected to cause significant disruption.
Issuing “do not travel” advice, TransPennine Express (TPE) asked customers to delay their journeys in and out of the Scottish capital until after 3pm, as parts of the UK brace for high winds.
TPE said there will be speed restrictions in place from the early hours for trains running to and from Edinburgh and that it will not run services between the city and north-west England until this afternoon.
Elsewhere on the trains, Network Rail said many services will only run once safety inspections have taken place, leading to some cancellations.
The West Highland line, Kyle of Lochalsh line, and the Far North line, along with Inverness-Inverurie services, will all be subject to inspections before trains can run, and speed restrictions will also be in place in the central belt and the south of Scotland.
Travellers have been warned of “short notice changes to journeys” on ScotRail services and are advised to check ahead, while additional engineers will be deployed to deal with any incidents.
Meanwhile, schools in Shetland will be closed today and more electricity network engineers are being brought in to deal with any power cuts.
Ferry services across the west coast of Scotland are expected to be disrupted, ferry operator CalMac said.
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The warning also covers Belfast, Newcastle upon Tyne and Manchester.
High-sided vehicles could be affected on exposed roads and coastal routes could be sprayed by high waves.
The low-pressure system has been named Storm Pia by the Danish authorities, but it was not expected to be severe enough in the UK to warrant being officially named.
Stephen Dixon, a Met Office spokesperson, said: “It is quite a wide wind warning area. Gusts are forecast quite widely.”
The Met Office forecasts showers along with the wind, with more rain expected on Friday.
Looking ahead, Mr Dixon said there was the possibility of snow on Christmas Day but only in the far north of Scotland.
“It looks like there will be a drier afternoon in the south of the UK for those post-Christmas dinner walks,” he said.
