Storm Amy has battered the UK and Ireland with record-breaking winds and torrential rain, leaving a trail of disruption, power outages, and even tragedy in its wake. As the storm swept through on October 3rd and 4th, 2025, communities from the Highlands of Scotland to County Donegal in Ireland found themselves grappling with the aftermath, as emergency services and utility workers raced to restore some semblance of normality.
The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for wind that blanketed the entire UK, with northern Scotland facing an even more severe amber warning for “damaging” winds. According to the BBC, gusts reached up to 100mph in some areas. In County Londonderry, a peak wind gust of 92mph was recorded at the Magilligan weather station, provisionally setting a new October record for Northern Ireland. Meanwhile, Shetland’s Baltasound measured central pressure at 947.9 hectopascals (hPa), breaking the previous UK October record set in 1988.
With winds of such ferocity, it’s no surprise that the infrastructure took a beating. Scotland, particularly the Highlands, was among the worst affected. Fraser Wilson of the Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks told BBC Radio Scotland that about 62,000 people were still without power on Saturday morning. “Work will continue this morning to get 62,000 people reconnected. We expect because of the extent of damage to the network and conditions we are still going to be facing today that this will take some time, this storm is not over by any means,” he said. Network Rail reported over 170 separate incidents requiring urgent repairs, with teams "working around the clock" to restore services.
In Northern Ireland, the situation was equally dire. By the morning of October 5th, NIE Networks reported that about 9,000 homes remained without electricity, down from a peak of 65,000 customers affected during the storm’s height. Alex Houston, operations manager at NIE Networks, warned that restoration efforts could be hampered by ongoing wind alerts and that "householders may experience interruption or fluctuations to their electricity supply as work is undertaken to restore power to those still impacted." Councils in the hardest-hit areas—Craigavon, Enniskillen, Omagh, Downpatrick, Ballymena, and Dungannon—set up community assistance centres offering hot drinks, showers, and phone charging facilities for those left in the dark.
The Republic of Ireland was not spared either. About 184,000 properties lost power at the storm’s peak, and by Saturday evening, 13,000 were still waiting for restoration. Tragically, a man in his 40s died in County Donegal in what the Irish broadcaster RTÉ described as a "weather-related incident"—he reportedly fell from a height in Letterkenny. The Electricity Supply Board (ESB) said that while most affected customers would see their power restored by Sunday, some in the worst-hit regions could be without electricity into the following week.
Travel chaos was widespread. According to the BBC, all train services across Northern Ireland were cancelled on October 4th, with some lines reopening only on the afternoon of the 5th. In Scotland, ScotRail suspended all services out of Glasgow Central until at least 2pm on Saturday, with Mark Ilderton, ScotRail’s service delivery director, warning of "considerable disruption" and advising passengers to check before traveling. Flights fared little better: Belfast International Airport recorded 13 cancellations on Friday, and both Glasgow and Dublin airports advised travelers to check with airlines for the latest updates. Even comedian Jason Manford was caught up in the chaos, as his flight to Belfast was rerouted to Manchester due to the storm.
Roads were treacherous, with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) urging drivers to exercise caution. "Surface water, flooding, fallen debris or temporary restrictions are all a strong possibility. Everyone should still avoid unnecessary travel but if you must travel take extra care and please reduce your speed," a PSNI spokeswoman said. Several roads remained closed through Saturday morning, and fallen trees were a common sight from Belfast to rural towns.
Major parks in London, including Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, and St James Park, were closed on October 4th due to severe wind gusts. The Royal Parks announced, “Due to severe wind gusts caused by Storm Amy, all of the royal parks, plus Brompton Cemetery and Victoria Tower Gardens will be closed on Saturday October 4. This closure includes all park roads and cycleways, cafes and kiosks, parks sports venues, the Serpentine lido and boating lake, and the royal parks shop.”
The storm didn’t just disrupt travel and power—it left a mark on daily life. In Northern Ireland, 18 schools reported storm-related incidents, mostly involving roof damage and fallen trees, by midday on October 5th. Teachers and students alike faced unexpected closures. Maghera teacher Emmett Rafferty told BBC News NI, “The power flickered on and off for us yesterday. As a family we’ve been indoors all day. Some of our GAA matches were cancelled.” Local resident Ellen Shells, who lost power for nearly 24 hours, shared, "I've been without power since around four yesterday evening. I'm lucky, I had heat from a wood-burning stove. I had no lights, only a torch and a wee candle."
Vehicles also bore the brunt of the storm. Several cars were damaged by falling trees, including that of a 17-year-old from east Belfast who had only just passed his driving test. "I was upset at first because of my car and then I realised how bad it could have actually been and that I was very lucky to be untouched," he told BBC News NI.
The Met Office’s chief forecaster, Neil Armstrong, summed up the situation: “Storm Amy will be an impactful autumn storm for many in Scotland and Northern Ireland, though impacts will also spread to north-west England and Wales, as well as a more widespread windy period for the rest of the UK. Within the amber warning areas, damaging gusts of around 100mph are possible for a time on Friday evening for parts of western Scotland, especially Skye, Tiree, Barra and western Lochaber. This could lead to significant disruption and brings the risk of power cuts and damage to buildings and trees.” He also warned of rainfall totals exceeding 30-50mm in six to nine hours over western Scotland, raising flood risks.
Network Rail’s Ross Moran acknowledged the scale of the challenge: “Our teams are working tirelessly to assess the damage, inspect the railway, and carry out essential repairs. They’re often out in extremely challenging conditions, especially with Storm Amy still affecting parts of northern Scotland. Safety remains our top priority. We must ensure our teams can work safely on the ground and confirm that lines are secure before passenger services can run.”
As Storm Amy slowly moves away, the clean-up and recovery efforts are just beginning. For thousands, the storm’s impact will linger for days—if not weeks—reminding everyone just how vulnerable even the most prepared communities can be when nature unleashes its full force.
