Hibernian vs Celtic still on as Storm Boelo warning covers Scotland
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- Hibernian vs Celtic is still set for noon on Sunday 25 October at Easter Road in Edinburgh.
- An amber wind warning covers mainland Scotland from 9pm on Saturday to 9pm on Sunday.
- The game is not postponed, but officials are watching the weather and travel conditions closely.
Hibernian vs Celtic is still on for Sunday at noon. The game takes place at Easter Road in Edinburgh. It is a Scottish Premiership match.
But a major storm is on the way. Storm Boelo will hit Scotland this weekend. The Met Office has issued an amber wind warning.
An amber warning is serious. It means strong winds could cause danger and disruption. Fans who plan to travel must check the latest news first.
What happened
Storm Boelo is the second named storm to hit Britain this week. The first storm was Storm Austen. Austen brought heavy rain to Scotland on Friday.
Flood alerts are still in place in some areas.
Boelo will move in from the west on Saturday evening. The Met Office upgraded its warning for Scotland to amber. The amber warning covers all of mainland Scotland.
It starts at 9pm on Saturday 24 October. It ends at 9pm on Sunday 25 October. That window covers the full match day.
Winds will be strong across the country. Forecasters expect gusts of 60 to 70mph in many places. Exposed coastal areas could see gusts up to 80mph.
Heavy rain will fall with the wind. The rain adds to the flood risk. Rivers and surface water could flood in southern, central and eastern Scotland.
The Met Office also has yellow warnings in place. A yellow warning is less severe than amber. But it still means travel could be disrupted.
The yellow warning starts at midday on Saturday. It covers a wider area than the amber warning. It stays in place through Sunday.
Scotland's football authorities are watching the storm closely. The SFA and SPFL are in contact with clubs and match officials. They are also in contact with emergency services.
Safety comes first for them. The safety of players, staff and fans will guide every call. That point was made clear in their weekend update.
As things stand, all matches are still scheduled to go ahead. That includes 21 SPFL league games this weekend. It also includes 21 Scottish Cup second-round ties.
The Hibernian vs Celtic game is the biggest game at risk. It kicks off at noon on Sunday at Easter Road. Hearts also play on Sunday.
They travel to Fir Park to face Motherwell at 2pm.
Edinburgh Council gave a clear update on Saturday morning. At 11am, the council said the game is still scheduled. The council said it is monitoring the situation.
Some other events in Edinburgh have already changed. Princes Street Gardens will close on Sunday. Lauriston Castle grounds and Saughton Winter Gardens will also close.
Activities at Murrayfield Stadium have been cancelled.
Why it matters
The storm hits at the worst time for travelling fans. The worst winds arrive overnight and through Sunday. That is when fans travel to the game.
Celtic fans travel from Glasgow to Edinburgh for this game. The trip is short in normal weather. In a storm, it can be slow and risky.
Roads may close at short notice. Bridges on exposed routes may face restrictions. High winds can force lorries and buses to stop.
Police Scotland has warned drivers to plan ahead. Superintendent Andy Barclay gave the police advice. He said the amber warning means a high risk of disruption.
He said travel conditions may be hazardous. He urged people to ask if their trip is really needed. If a trip can wait, he said it should wait.
Wet roads also make driving harder. Stopping distances can at least double on wet roads. Spray from other cars can cut visibility.
Rail travel will also be disrupted. ScotRail has announced planned closures on five sections of track. The closures are a safety step, not a surprise.
The line between Kilwinning and Ayr closes from 9pm on Saturday. Two Glasgow Queen Street sections close from about 10pm on Saturday. They are Fort William to Mallaig and Crianlarich to Oban.
Two more sections close from the start of service on Sunday. They are Kyle of Lochalsh to Achnashellach and Helmsdale to Wick and Thurso. Reduced speeds will apply across much of Scotland.
Services will not restart until safety checks are done. Network Rail must check for flooding, fallen trees and debris. So reopening times depend on the weather, not a fixed clock.
Tickets dated Saturday or Sunday can still be used. Fans can use them on Saturday. They can also use them once routes reopen, including on Monday 26 October.
Ferries are affected too. The Saturday evening Stena Line crossing back to Northern Ireland has been cancelled. That matters for Rangers fans from Northern Ireland.
They had planned to attend the game against St Johnstone in Glasgow.
Transport Scotland has set up a response team for the weekend. Its Resilience Room will track conditions across road, rail, air and ferry services. The team can react as conditions change.
This is why the Hibernian game matters beyond the result. Thousands of fans must travel in the storm window. Their safety is part of the decision, not just the pitch.
The same storm pattern hit the UK days earlier. Storm Austen brought 80mph winds and power cuts. That storm showed how fast conditions can change.
Boelo could do the same.
What happens next
An amber warning does not cancel a game by itself. That is a key point for fans. The game stays on unless officials call it off.
The referee makes the final call on the pitch. The referee decides if the ground is fit for play. That check happens close to kick-off.
Under SPFL rules, officials must try hard to reach the ground early. They should arrive at least 90 minutes before kick-off. Hibernian can ask for an earlier check if the weather demands it.
The club can ask the referee to arrive two hours or more before kick-off. For a noon game, that means 10am or earlier. No early inspection has been publicly confirmed yet.
Travel safety will weigh just as much as the pitch. Officials must judge if fans can reach the ground safely. They must also judge if fans can get home safely.
That is why fans should not set off without checking first. Club and competition channels will carry updates. Fans should check official club news before they travel.
The forecast may still change. The strongest winds should ease as Sunday goes on. But the warning runs until 9pm on Sunday.
So disruption could last into the evening.
The clocks also go back one hour overnight. That is a small detail with a big effect. Fans who travel early must double-check their times.
If the game goes ahead, it will be a test of nerve for both teams. Hibernian play at home in front of their own fans. Celtic travel as the away team in tough conditions.
Wind can change how a game plays. Long passes drift in strong gusts. High balls become hard to judge.
Set pieces become a lottery in swirling wind.
Both teams must adapt to the pitch and the wind. The team that keeps the ball low may cope better. The team that stays calm may cope better too.
Other games face the same questions this weekend. The Chelsea vs Spurs game at Stamford Bridge is also a big Sunday fixture. The Coventry vs Fulham game was the first ever Premier League meeting of those two clubs.
But the Scottish games face the worst weather. The amber warning sits over Scotland, not over London. So the Hibernian game is the one to watch.
Fans should check three things before they leave home. First, check the club news for the latest game update. Second, check ScotRail and road news for their route.
Third, check the Met Office warning for their area.
If any of those three says do not travel, stay home. No game is worth a risky trip. The game can be watched later, but safety cannot be undone.
The next update will come from the clubs and the league. If conditions worsen, a call could come early on Sunday. An early call would spare fans a wasted trip.
For now, the message is simple. The game is on. The storm is real.
Check before you travel, and be ready for change.
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