SEPA Flood warnings issued amid heavy rain and melting snow

A number of flood alerts and warnings are in place as Scots are warned to expect disruption following days of extreme weather.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has issued flood warnings for Newton Stewart and Whitesands in Dumfries & Galloway and the Churchill Barriers causeway area in Orkney.

It also has nine less severe flood alerts in place throughout various parts of Scotland.

As temperatures increase, the Met Office said snow melt and a “rapid thaw” combined with further rain, could lead to flooding concerns.

In south-west Scotland, Lothian Border and Strathclyde, a yellow warning for rain is in place until the end of Sunday as forecasters said up to 90mm of rainfall was possible over higher ground in Dumfries and Galloway.

Another alert for rain covers north-western areas of Scotland until 10am on Monday, where up to 110mm of rain could be possible over parts of Skye, Lochaber, Argyll and the Trossachs, the Met Office said.

A yellow warning for wind will come into force for north-west Scotland, which could see gusts of up to 85mph, until 8am on Monday.

Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said Sunday night will see some “wet and windy weather”, adding: “Combined with the rainfall, the higher temperatures – we will see some flooding due to the snow melt gradually as we go through the next few days so that’s the main concern.”

He said: “We could potentially see wind gusts as high as 85mph this evening and through the early hours of Monday morning for the Outer Hebrides and the Highlands of Scotland.

“So that certainly could lead to some transport disruptions, such as ferry cancellations and bridge closures, but it will be the rainfall, as I say, that’s more likely to impact road transport due to some flooding.”

Scotland

Scotland faces travel disruption as weather warnings remain in place

While a previous amber snow alert was downgraded, yellow warnings remain in place throughout the country.

David Morgan, SEPA Flood Duty Manager, added: “Continuing heavy rain, combined with melting snow, increases the risk of flooding. Flood risk is greatest in Dumfries and Galloway, and the west and north of Scotland.

“Possible impacts could include flooding affecting parts of communities, low lying land, transport infrastructure and individual properties. Driving conditions will be very difficult at times.”

Scotland’s travel networks have also faced disruption.

There have been several ferry cancellations including in Oban, Troon, Mallaig, Ullapool and Largs and several roads impacted by flooding.

Scotrail has urged passengers to check ahead whether services are running as parts of the rail network are likely to be affected on Monday morning.

Mark Ilderton, ScotRail service delivery director, previously said: “As a result of forecast severe weather in some parts of Scotland, it’s likely that there will be disruption to ScotRail services on some routes.

“We may also see speed restrictions implemented across parts of the network meaning that some journeys may take longer than usual.

“We would urge passengers to check their full journey before they travel using the ScotRail website, app, or our social media channels.

“Our teams across Scotland will be working flat out to keep people moving where possible in difficult weather conditions.

“We’re grateful to our customers for their understanding as this period of severe weather continues.”

Euan Scott, Bear Scotland’s north west representative, said: “The safety of road users is the priority for Bear Scotland and we closely monitor conditions at the Rest and Be Thankful on a daily basis.

“Heavy rainfall is expected throughout Sunday, which will increase saturation levels on the hillside. We have therefore made the decision to utilise the Old Military Road as a proactive safety measure.

“The use of this route maintains access to the A83 corridor for the travelling public, keeping Argyll very much open for business with minimal delays of around 20 minutes.

“Subject to the weather improving, we plan to inspect the hillside thoroughly on Monday January 12 and this will inform a decision to return traffic to the A83.”

The north and north-east of Scotland have already seen several days of snowfall, ice and sub-zero temperatures which have led to school closures and travel disruption.

A meeting of the Scottish Government Resilience Room was chaired by Ministers on Sunday for the seventh consecutive day, as agencies continue to co-ordinate their efforts to respond to challenging weather conditions and restore normal services in the coming days.

Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: “As wintry conditions ease across the country, we are urging the public to remain vigilant. Rising temperatures and heavy rainfall, combined with melting snow, bring a significant risk of flooding in several areas. This could affect properties and transport routes, with difficult driving conditions expected in many parts of the country at the start of the working week.

“Ministers have now met in the Scottish Government Resilience Room for seven consecutive days, bringing together partners including SEPA, the Met Office, Police Scotland and local responders to ensure our response is coordinated. Agencies are working around the clock to support communities as the conditions change.

“I would encourage everyone to keep a close eye on weather forecasts, flood alerts and travel advice for their area over the coming days. Please follow the updates from key agencies including the Met Office, SEPA and Police Scotland.”

Matthew Lehnert, Met Office Chief Meteorologist, said: “We’ll see a transition in our weather across the UK through Sunday, with mild Atlantic air moving in from the west. Temperatures will rise and we’ll see rain rather than snow accompanying some strong gusty winds in the north. Warnings have been issued for heavy and persistent rain, as well as these strong winds overnight in western and northern Scotland.

“While the wintry weather may have come to an end, the significant snow accumulations in parts of Scotland mixed with heavy rainfall and an increase in temperatures bring a risk of flooding in some areas as the snow melts. Keep up to date with the flood warnings issued by SEPA and check your flood risk.”