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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Storm Abigail: Schools to be closed and ferries cancelled | Storm Abigail: Schools to be closed and ferries cancelled |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Every school in the Western Isles and Shetland will be closed to pupils on Friday because of the expected arrival of Storm Abigail. | Every school in the Western Isles and Shetland will be closed to pupils on Friday because of the expected arrival of Storm Abigail. |
| Nearly 60 primary and secondary schools will be affected. | Nearly 60 primary and secondary schools will be affected. |
| Ferries on the Clyde and Hebrides network have been disrupted already by bad weather with more than half of the services on the 25 routes cancelled. | Ferries on the Clyde and Hebrides network have been disrupted already by bad weather with more than half of the services on the 25 routes cancelled. |
| One ferry travelling from Skye to Raasay was prevented from docking for three hours due to stormy conditions. | One ferry travelling from Skye to Raasay was prevented from docking for three hours due to stormy conditions. |
| The journey would normally have taken 20 minutes, but ferry operator, Caledonian MacBrayne, confirmed the vessel - which had five Portree High School pupils on board - was at sea for longer than usual. | The journey would normally have taken 20 minutes, but ferry operator, Caledonian MacBrayne, confirmed the vessel - which had five Portree High School pupils on board - was at sea for longer than usual. |
| Northlink's Northern Isles said its ferry sailings on Friday are under review. | Northlink's Northern Isles said its ferry sailings on Friday are under review. |
| Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team have rescued a hillwalker who attempted to climb Ben Nevis via Observatory Gully as the weather closed in. | |
| After the operation on Thursday evening, the team posted on social media that "on the scale of difficulty this route is certain death". | |
| They added: "A very difficult rescue in atrocious weather with a very good outcome." | |
| Power lines | Power lines |
| By early evening, the strongest gust recorded by the Met Office was 75mph, on South Uist. | By early evening, the strongest gust recorded by the Met Office was 75mph, on South Uist. |
| Shortly after 19:00, police in the Western Isles tweeted: "Most roads in the Southern Isles are affected by High Winds and water - if your journey is not necessary please stay at home meantime." | Shortly after 19:00, police in the Western Isles tweeted: "Most roads in the Southern Isles are affected by High Winds and water - if your journey is not necessary please stay at home meantime." |
| SSE Power Distribution has warned that "a significant number of customers will wake up tomorrow with no power". | SSE Power Distribution has warned that "a significant number of customers will wake up tomorrow with no power". |
| Police have reported a number of trees down across Dumfries and Galloway and there has been disruption to some west coast rail services. | Police have reported a number of trees down across Dumfries and Galloway and there has been disruption to some west coast rail services. |
| The Met Office has an amber "be prepared" warning for northern and western Scotland. A yellow "be aware" warning covers most of the rest of Scotland. | The Met Office has an amber "be prepared" warning for northern and western Scotland. A yellow "be aware" warning covers most of the rest of Scotland. |
| The storm is the first to be officially named by the Met Office. | The storm is the first to be officially named by the Met Office. |
| Its approach has been tracked by BBC Weather Watchers. View their pictures here. | Its approach has been tracked by BBC Weather Watchers. View their pictures here. |
| Forecasters have warned of winds could gust to up to 90mph, heavy rain, lightning and large waves may affect coastal areas. | Forecasters have warned of winds could gust to up to 90mph, heavy rain, lightning and large waves may affect coastal areas. |
| The amber warning covers from 18:00 on Thursday to midday on Friday, and yellow warning from 18:00 on Thursday to 23:00 on Friday. | The amber warning covers from 18:00 on Thursday to midday on Friday, and yellow warning from 18:00 on Thursday to 23:00 on Friday. |
| Further yellow warnings have been issued for central and southern Scotland for Saturday to the early hours of Monday and warn of heavy rain. | Further yellow warnings have been issued for central and southern Scotland for Saturday to the early hours of Monday and warn of heavy rain. |
| The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has warned of the risk of flooding over the next few days. | The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has warned of the risk of flooding over the next few days. |
| Duty flood manager David Faichney said: "The weather system will create a storm surge that is due to coincide with high tide on Thursday evening into the early hours of Friday morning along the south-west and west coast. | Duty flood manager David Faichney said: "The weather system will create a storm surge that is due to coincide with high tide on Thursday evening into the early hours of Friday morning along the south-west and west coast. |
| "This, combined with the high winds, is likely to result in spray and wave overtopping along the exposed coastline in Dumfries and Galloway, Ayrshire and Arran, west central Scotland, and Argyll and Bute, which may impact roads and properties in coastal areas. | "This, combined with the high winds, is likely to result in spray and wave overtopping along the exposed coastline in Dumfries and Galloway, Ayrshire and Arran, west central Scotland, and Argyll and Bute, which may impact roads and properties in coastal areas. |
| "Coastal flood impacts are also possible along the Moray coast and in Shetland, Orkney, Skye and Lochaber, Wester Ross, Caithness and Sutherland, and the Western Isles during Friday morning." | "Coastal flood impacts are also possible along the Moray coast and in Shetland, Orkney, Skye and Lochaber, Wester Ross, Caithness and Sutherland, and the Western Isles during Friday morning." |
| Follow the course of Storm Abigail in maps | Follow the course of Storm Abigail in maps |
| 'Vulnerable neighbours' | 'Vulnerable neighbours' |
| Police Scotland said people in the worst affected areas should expect the likelihood of power cuts and disruption to travel. | Police Scotland said people in the worst affected areas should expect the likelihood of power cuts and disruption to travel. |
| The force said: "In addition to the high winds and lightning, there are warnings of large waves which may lead to overtopping along costal routes and causeways. | The force said: "In addition to the high winds and lightning, there are warnings of large waves which may lead to overtopping along costal routes and causeways. |
| "There is a strong possibility of disruption to public transport and power utilities. | "There is a strong possibility of disruption to public transport and power utilities. |
| "Members of the public, businesses and communities are advised to plan ahead and prepare for possible power outages ahead of the storm. | "Members of the public, businesses and communities are advised to plan ahead and prepare for possible power outages ahead of the storm. |
| "Where possible, secure outdoor items which could be dangerous in the wind. It is also asked that communities look out for vulnerable neighbours." | "Where possible, secure outdoor items which could be dangerous in the wind. It is also asked that communities look out for vulnerable neighbours." |
| John Mitchell, from the Met Office, said it was going to be a "fairly prolonged period of strong winds". | John Mitchell, from the Met Office, said it was going to be a "fairly prolonged period of strong winds". |
| He told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme: "The winds will be picking up from this afternoon, getting up to gale force across the Hebrides during the afternoon period. | He told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme: "The winds will be picking up from this afternoon, getting up to gale force across the Hebrides during the afternoon period. |
| "From then onwards, right through tonight and much of tomorrow it will be a very windy day. So it isn't going to be until the early hours of Saturday when we'll see the winds properly easing down. | "From then onwards, right through tonight and much of tomorrow it will be a very windy day. So it isn't going to be until the early hours of Saturday when we'll see the winds properly easing down. |
| "The other thing as well to bear in mind, there's going to be some quite big waves around western coasts. | "The other thing as well to bear in mind, there's going to be some quite big waves around western coasts. |
| "There's some high tides as well at this time of year so expect some overtopping of waves across causeways and some waterfronts as well." | "There's some high tides as well at this time of year so expect some overtopping of waves across causeways and some waterfronts as well." |
| Earlier this year the Met Office asked the public for suggestions for names for storms. | Earlier this year the Met Office asked the public for suggestions for names for storms. |
| Abigail is the first storm to be officially named by the weather forecasting organisation. | Abigail is the first storm to be officially named by the weather forecasting organisation. |