Storm Franklin is forecast to hit the UK just three days after Storm Eunice caused chaos across the country – but what will it mean for the Highlands, Aberdeenshire and Moray?
Storm Franklin will be the seventh named storm in just three months, following on from Arwen, Barra, Corrie, Dudley, Eunice and Malik.
The Met Office has predicted that Northern Ireland will bear the brunt of the bad weather forecast, with an amber weather warning for strong winds between midnight on Sunday and 7am on Monday.
There is also a yellow warning out for strong winds across the south west coast of Scotland and the majority of England.
The warning has been in place since around 12pm on Sunday and is expected to last until 1pm on Monday.
The Met Office has named #StormFranklin
The storm is forecast to bring strong winds and heavy rain to the UK on Sunday and Monday
The strongest winds will be in Northern Ireland where an Amber weather warning has been issued
Stay #WeatherAware ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/gOektUciFQ
— Met Office (@metoffice) February 20, 2022
Storm Franklin in the Highlands and north-east
Though the official weather warning does not go as far north as the Highlands or Moray and Aberdeenshire, it is still likely the regions will feel some of the force from Storm Franklin.
Rail services are at risk of being delayed with trains often having to operate at a reduced speeds during periods of strong wind.
Ferries to the Western Isles could also be impacted by bad weather, with services being monitored on an ongoing basis.
Multiple CalMac services have been cancelled throughout the day on Sunday as stormy seas prevailed.
NorthLink ferries have also warned that they could be affected by the storm in the coming week, with some sailings leaving earlier or later than planned to ensure a safer trip.
❌RED #Oban #Lismore 20Feb Due to adverse weather the 1600 sailing to Lismore has returned to Oban. As a result the 1600 and 1700 from Lismore have been cancelled.
— CalMac Service Info (@CalMac_Updates) February 20, 2022
Anyone planning on travelling by train or ferry should check ahead to ensure whether or not there are any delays of cancellations.
Strong winds forecast
Regions in the west of Scotland are most likely to feel the impact of Strom Franklin, with the Met Office predicting gusts of up to 89mph.
In Oban, strong winds and heavy rain are forecast through the night and into Monday morning.
Moving further north to Fort William, Ullapool and Lochinver, there is still heave rain forecast, but winds are not expected to be as strong.
Temperatures in Inverness are due to drop to around 1C overnight on Sunday, with a possibility of snow until the early hours of Monday morning.
Elgin is forecast to be dryer, with a slight chance of snow around midnight on Sunday. Temperatures are expected to rise to around 6C by midday on Monday.
The centre of Aberdeen is expected to be dry throughout the evening on Sunday, with fog forecast at around 4am on Monday morning.
However, the sun is due to appear by around 9am, with the rest of the week forecast to be considerably dryer than the previous one.
