Scots homes 'likely to be flooded' as amber weather warning for 'very heavy rain' issued

An amber weather warning for “very heavy rain” has been issued in parts of Scotland.

The Met Office has confirmed that residents in Dumfries and Galloway, the Scottish Borders, East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire and South Ayrshire could face significant disruption to transport and infrastructure due to the deluge.

The alert comes into affect from midnight on Sunday and remains in place until 11.59pm.

The forecasters say the rain will be particularly heavy at times, with accumulations of 50-70 mm developing widely and locally 110-130 mm across high ground.

According to the Met Office, buildings are likely to be flooded, fast flowing rivers will result in danger to life and communities will be cut off by flooded roads.

The Scottish Flood Forecast has confirmed that flooding from rivers in the south west of Scotland is expected due to “heavy and persistent rain”.

A yellow weather warning for rain has also been issued across other parts of the country, including South Lanarkshire, East Renfrewshire,, Renfrewshire, the Highlands and Argyll and Bute.

Strong southwesterly winds are also possible at times, leading to the risk of travel disruption and the chance of flooding in parts.

The amber warning comes days after Storm Bram battered Scotland with disruption on rail, road, ferry and air routes across the country.

Lorries were blown over on the M74, all CalMac ferries were facing disruption or cancellation and train lines were blocked earlier this week.

Insight Jo Farrow STV News weather forecaster

This weekend, we have a conveyor belt of heavy rain for western Scotland.

Saturday will become very windy for the northwest but northeastern and eastern Scotland will be more sheltered, to the lee of high ground from the worst of the heavy rain.

There is a strong jet across the Atlantic which is deepening and steering numerous low pressures closer to Iceland. For the UK, and particularly western Scotland there will be this fed of frontal rain linked to the low pressures to the north.

As the mild, moist air reaches western Scotland and it is forced up over the hills and mountains, it cools and dumps heavy rain over the high ground. 100 to 200mm of rain is expected in southwestern areas where there is an Amber warning.

Pulses of heavy rain will drift southwards during Saturday night and on Sunday, with some heavier rain reaching through the Central Belt on Sunday. However, gradually the bands of heavy rain will clear away southwards by Sunday evening leaving clearer and calmer weather for Monday.