According to the Met Office website, red weather warnings are reserved for "very dangerous" conditions with a "high level of certainty". When these are released by the organisation, it is advised that residents affected take action to keep themselves and others safe as there is a "risk to life".

An emergency alert is being sent to millions of people in Scotland ahead of the rare red warning. The last wind storm of this scale to affect Central Scotland was on 3 January 2012. At the time it prompted a Met Office red warning for wind that was similar in scale and scope to the one issued for Éowyn.

The last time Scotland faced a red wind warning was in January 2024, when Storms Isha and Jocelyn delivered severe weather to the Highalnds and North East. Areas including Thurso, Wick, Elgin, Banff, Fraserburgh, and Peterhead were placed under the rare alert as the storms unleashed their fury.

The Met Office has extended the yellow weather warning ahead of Storm Éowyn with strong winds and heavy rain expected to batter the county.

The red warning will run from 10:00 to 17:00 on Friday and covers a large chunk of the central belt, some islands and parts of south west Scotland. Meanwhile the rest of Scotland is covered by amber or yellow alerts for a large part of the day.