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Storm Ashley on Sunday 20 October

There is a developing low pressure system, currently off Canada, which has been named by the Irish Met service as Storm Ashley, the first named storm of this season.

It is expected to develop fast on Saturday night.

Currently it is expected to impact the Island of Ireland (north and south) and Western Scotland, as well as parts of North West England.

If it develops as expected this could impact most if not all ferry services to Ireland and the vast majority of CalMac services on the West Coast of Scotland, as well as roads in those areas, and possibly rail services due to associated heavy rain. Power outages are also possible. There is another low pressure system in the Firth of Clyde today (Friday) which is heavily impacting various ferry services in the area.

Keep a close eye out on the news and weather forecasts for developments. As always with such storms impacts could be more or less, and it may also change track.

Not unusual for the time of the year.

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As expected all CalMac ferry sailings have been cancelled today, including the normally storm proof route to the Isle of Mull via Lochaline/Fisnnish, and services to all islands in the Clyde (Arran, Bute and Cumbrae).

As often happens only Western Ferries from Gourock to Dunoon (on Cowal) are still running, in what must be lumpy water.

All Scotland to Northern Ireland sailings are also cancelled.

Loganair also have flight disruptions to the Outer Hebrides due to wind strengths, as do Northlink ferries to Orkney and Shetland.

Belfast City Airport is also experiencing severe disruption,

Also, for the 2nd time in 2 weeks the A83 to Oban has been closed due to the danger of rockfalls caused by rain at the Rest and be Thankful- a very difficult section of road.
Traffic over the Rest and be Thankful is being diverted in a convoy arrangement over the single track Old Military Road.