EAST Lothian residents are being urged to stay at home after the Met Office issued a rare red weather warning for the county – the most serious – as Storm Arwen approaches, potentially bringing 90mph winds.

Red 'take action' warnings are hardly ever issued by the Met Office – East Lothian was previously subject to one at the start of the Beast from the East snow storm in 2018 – and warn residents of a potential danger to life from the weather.

The red warning for high winds for East Lothian covers the period from 3pm today (Friday) until 2am tomorrow (Saturday).

The A1 in East Lothian could close in its entirety if the winds are as strong as predicted.

READ MORE: A1 in East Lothian could close in its entirety this afternoon due to extremely strong winds

Police have said that people should not drive "under any circumstances" during the period of the red warning and have advised people to stay at home and not travel.

READ MORE: 'Don't drive under any circumstances' during red weather warning, police say

All trains in East Lothian this evening have been cancelled.

READ MORE: No trains running in East Lothian due to high winds

The Met Office says that high winds associated with Storm Arwen will bring damage and travel disruption.

It tells residents to expect:

  • Flying debris resulting in danger to life;
  • Damage to buildings and homes, with roofs blown off and power lines brought down;
  • Roads, bridges and railway lines closed, with delays and cancellations to bus, train, ferry services and flights;
  • Power cuts affecting other services, such as mobile phone coverage;
  • Large waves and beach material being thrown onto coastal roads, seafronts and homes.

Residents are being urged to stay inside if possible and take extreme care if travelling.

More advice about staying safe during a storm is available on the Met Office website.

All sports centres in East Lothian are closing early today due to the storm.

READ MORE: All sports centres in East Lothian to close early after Met Office red weather warning issued

Superintendent Simon Bradshaw, from Police Scotland’s road policing unit, said: “Any motorist within these affected regions should not travel under any circumstances.

“A number of local road closures and bridge restrictions may also be implemented during this period of adverse weather and we would advise the public to consult the Transport Scotland and Met Office websites for continuous and updated information."

East Lothian Council has said all recycling centres are closing at 2.30pm and has issued advice to residents.

A spokesperson said: "The forecasted strengths of winds include gusts of up to 80-90mph, which has potential to cause storm damage.

"Local householders are advised to take basic precautions such as moving rubbish/recycling bins, garden furniture and hanging baskets, and securing play equipment such as trampolines to ensure they do not cause damage to cars or property if blown over.

"East Lothian Council’s emergency planning is already in place, with staff readied to deal with any traffic disruption, fallen trees and public property damage.

"The council’s Contact Centre is open 24/7 rel: 01620 827827, out of office hours 01875 612818."

Although the most serious red warning expires at 2am on Saturday, an amber 'be prepared' warning, the second most serious, then runs until 9am, while a less serious yellow 'be aware' warning covers the period until 3pm today and then from 9am to 6pm on Saturday, with strong winds expected to bring disruption throughout today and Saturday.

There is also a yellow warning of snow as part of the storm between 5pm today and 10am on Saturday.