Forecasters warn of flood risk as amber rain warning issued | UK News

Forecasters are warning of flood risks and dangers from fast flowing water as a prolonged period of heavy rain sweeps across Scotland.

An amber alert has been issued for the south west of the country from midnight, while a lesser yellow warning covers much of the western mainland.

The Met Office said 50-70mm or rain could fall widely in the amber area, rising to 110-130mm in the Galloway Hills and other parts of the Southern Uplands during Sunday.

Homes and businesses were likely to be flooded and fast flowing rivers or floodwater could pose a “danger to life” while bus and rail travellers face possible cancellations or delays, it warned.

The Met Office amber warning covers much of southwest Scotland, including Dumfries & Galloway, Scottish Borders, parts of South Lanarkshire and parts of Ayrshire, lasting for the whole day.

Strong and gusty south westerly winds are also expected throughout Sunday, worsening conditions.

Separate yellow weather warnings are already in place across much of the country, including Glasgow, Fife and Stirling. These warnings will run to either the end of Sunday or 09:00 on Monday, depending on the area.

Police Scotland said people should avoid travelling unless it was necessary while Transport Scotland warned travel was likely to be affected by the poor conditions.

The Scottish government’s transport secretary, Fiona Hyslop, advised people to plan ahead and leave plenty of time for journeys.

She said the heavy rain was “likely to impact the transport network”.

Hyslop added: “It’s important people plan their journeys before they set off. Motorists should make sure their routes are available, follow the travel advice from Police Scotland and drive in accordance with the conditions.

“If you are planning to travel by train, ferry or plane, please check with your operators to see if the conditions are having any impact on your services.”

Police Scotland Supt Andrew Barclay, of the force’s Road Policing Unit said motorists should “drive to the conditions and be aware of increased stopping distances”, as well as having alterative routes planned.

He added that people should make sure to have sufficient fuel, warm clothing, food and water, as well as a charged mobile phone, in case affected by the disruption.

Traffic on the A83 Rest and Be Thankful in Argyll has been diverted along the alternative Old Military Road route as a safety precaution in case of landslides.

A decision on returning traffic to the A83 trunk road will be made on Monday, following safety inspections of the road and the hillside.

ScotRail announced speed restrictions were being introduced on some routes due to the expected weather.

In a social media post the rail operator stated: “As a safety precaution, speed restrictions will come into force along sections of our Oban, Fort William, Mallaig and Kyle of Lochalsh routes.

“These will be introduced from 18:00 this evening and remain in place until 09:00 on Monday. Please be aware that journey times will take longer as a result.”

A number of CalMac ferry services have also been cancelled due to strong winds

The warning comes just days after Storm Bram swept the country.

It saw amber wind warnings in place in north-west Scotland, and the M74 shut between junctions 12 and 13 near Abington in South Lanarkshire after high winds toppled numerous HGVs on Tuesday evening.

The second named storm of the season also caused problems for rail travellers with fallen trees and damaged overhead cables, and more than 1,000 properties lost power.

At the height of the storm, gusts of 76mph were recorded on South Uist in the Western Isles with similar speeds also felt in Lanarkshire and Dumfries and Galloway.