LONDON – The United Kingdom and parts of continental Europe experienced significant disruption on Sunday as Storm Boelo, the second major storm of the weekend, brought powerful winds and heavy rainfall. Scotland, Northern Ireland, and northern England bore the brunt of the storm, facing widespread travel issues and electricity cuts.
The Met Office, the U.K.'s national forecaster, issued a severe warning for Storm Boelo, cautioning about a danger to life from flying debris and crashing waves. The agency advised the public to remain indoors as much as possible. Wind gusts peaked at 84 mph (135 kph) in Argyll and Bute, located in Scotland.
An amber wind warning, categorized as the Met Office’s second most severe, remained active across Scotland and northern England until late Sunday. Flood warnings were also in effect. The severe weather led to disruptions across various transport sectors, including airports, ferry services, railways, and roads. Approximately 82,000 homes were left without power.
Storm Boelo, pronounced “Boo-Loh,” arrived shortly after Storm Austen, which had battered southern England, particularly on Friday. The Met Office began naming major storms in 2015 to enhance public awareness of severe weather events, with storms named alphabetically throughout the season from September to August.
As Boelo tracked eastward into continental Europe, Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport alerted travelers to potential flight cancellations and delays due to strong winds impacting the Netherlands. Further north, three crew members were injured on Sunday afternoon aboard the freight ship UHL Freedom, which temporarily encountered engine problems north of the Dutch island of Schiermonnikoog, located about 190 kilometers (120 miles) north of Amsterdam. Two of the injured sailors were airlifted by helicopter to a mainland hospital, though the nature of their injuries was not immediately disclosed. The UHL Freedom, carrying a crew of 25, was reported to be sailing with limited engine power by Sunday evening, with a Coastguard emergency tug standing by nearby.
High winds and rain were also anticipated throughout the day in Denmark, Norway, and parts of Sweden. As a precautionary measure, some ferry services in the region were canceled, certain Swedish train lines suspended operations, and trailers were prohibited from crossing Denmark’s Great Belt Bridge.
