Storm Boelo Leaves Tens of Thousands of Homes Without Power in the UK

Updated 16:48 UTC: First death confirmed

Storm Boelo has claimed its first life. Police Scotland said a 60-year-old man was struck by a falling tree on a minor road at Mid Kelton near Castle Douglas at about 10.30am on Sunday, October 25, and was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said there were no suspicious circumstances and that a report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.

The Sun reported that the Ayrshire town of Largs was submerged by water at high tide, and that business owner Toni Dawson said the water was at its highest level ever. Overnight winds reached 85mph at Machrihanish in Argyll and Bute, and more than 30,000 homes across Scotland suffered power cuts. The Met Office amber warning for wind remains in place until 9pm on Sunday.

Storm Boelo peaked on Sunday morning, October 25, 2026, and left tens of thousands of homes in the United Kingdom without electricity, with warnings for high winds still in place. SP Electricity North West, the network operator for Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cumbria, said on its website on Sunday morning that more than 57,000 homes had been cut off in its area alone. Boelo is the second named storm of the season.

The strongest winds

The highest wind speed was measured on the island of Tiree in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, where gusts reached 82mph at about 4am on Sunday, according to the Met Office. On Saturday, maximum gusts of 75mph hit South Uist Range in the Western Isles of Scotland. Heavy rain fell alongside the wind. Downpours since 8am on Saturday brought rainfall totals of 72mm at White Barrow in Wiltshire, and 43mm at both Cwm Dyli, just south of the Snowdon range in North Wales, and Inveruglas, on the west shore of Loch Lomond in Scotland.

Warnings still in force

Amber warnings for wind were issued for Scotland and parts of Northern Ireland and northern England. Met Office Chief Forecaster Jason Kelly said: "Storm Boelo will be felt across the UK this weekend, with the strongest winds and greatest potential for disruption in the north. Amber warnings are in place across mainland Scotland, parts of Northern Ireland and the far north of England, where gusts of 60-70mph are expected widely, with the potential for 80mph in exposed coastal locations." The amber warning for Scotland and northern England, extending south to Carlisle, runs from 9pm on Saturday until 9pm on Sunday. A separate amber warning for north-east Northern Ireland remains in place until 10am on Sunday. The Met Office warning wording says injuries and danger to life are likely from large waves and beach material being thrown onto coastal roads, sea fronts and properties.

Flood alerts across England

The Environment Agency issued 58 alerts across England for possible flooding, and 12 warnings stating that flooding is expected.

The second storm in three days

Boelo follows Storm Austen, the first named storm of the season, which brought strong winds to parts of the UK on Friday, October 23. During Austen, gusts reached 76mph at St Mary's Airport in the Isles of Scilly, 74mph at Aberporth in south Wales and 71mph at Culdrose in Cornwall. The unsettled weather is not over. A yellow warning for wind will return on Tuesday, October 27, from 3am until midnight, for the north of England, Scotland and the northeast coast of Northern Ireland.