Met Office issues amber warning as heavy rain forecast to hit northern Scotland
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A weather warning of heavy rain has been upgraded to amber for part of northern Scotland on Hogmanay. The Met Office alert, which warns that flooding and travel disruption is likely, is in force from midnight until 5pm on Tuesday in Moray and the Highlands.
A yellow weather warning of heavy rain and snow is currently in force across most of Scotland on Monday and Tuesday. Heavy rain has already caused travel disruption on December 30 with the Highland Main Line closed due to high water levels on the Gynack Burn at Kingussie.
The Crianlarich-Oban line was also shut for a time due to flooding between Tyndrum Lower and Dalmally but later reopened. Forecasters predict that heavy rain will become persistent and widespread in Scotland during Monday and Tuesday with 50-70mm of rain possible over the two days in many areas while some places may see 100-140mm.
The Scottish Government Resilience Room (SGORR) has been activated in response to the weather warnings and authorities have advised people to plan ahead if travelling over the New Year period. Douglas Cairns, Traffic Scotland operator manager at Transport Scotland, said: “The severe weather across much of Scotland this week will, unfortunately, cause some disruption across the transport network.
“Road, rail, air and ferry services are all likely to be affected by the conditions, with localised flooding, longer journey times and cancellations possible, as well as potential restrictions on bridges. “The network is also expected to be busy as people travel to celebrate New Year with friends and family.
