STORM ALERT
Travel warning as Kathleen brings torrential rain, 70mph gusts and snow
Rain and windy weather warnings have been issued as Storm Kathleen hits Scotland.
Blustery conditions are set to arrive today as the storm, named by Irish Meteorological Service Met Eireann, rolls in.
Gusts of 50mph are “expected quite widely” tomorrow, while some exposed areas, particularly on the coast, will see 60 to 70mph gusts with large waves also likely.
Kathleen will be the 11th named storm of the 2023/24 season and becomes only the second to reach letter K, after Storm Katie in March 2016. Tomorrow will be “unseasonably wet and windy”, including heavy rain across parts of Scotland, meteorologist Alex Burkill said.
However, temperatures will be mild, despite the wind and rain. He added: “There is a good chance we could see highs of 20C, which would be the first time this year.”
Travel disruption is possible as downpours are expected across central Scotland, with a Met Office yellow weather warning between 2am-9am.
The warning, covering the central, Tayside, Fife, southwest, Lothian, Borders and Strathclyde areas, says there is likely to be “15-25mm of rain, much of it falling in around six hours with a few locations seeing up to 35mm overnight”.
A yellow warning for snow is in place today from the early hours through to 9am covering central, Tayside and Fife, Grampian, Highlands, Eilean Siar and Strathclyde.
There could be 10cm or more in places above 300 metres but “2 to 5cm of snow is expected fairly widely above 250 metres, with a chance that a few places within the warning area at lower levels could see a few centimetres settle”.
The forecaster has issued a yellow weather warning for wind with a deep area of low pressure from 8am to 10pm tomorrow.
RAC breakdown spokesman Rod Dennis urged drivers to slow down, keep a grip on the steering wheel and be prepared for a buffeting effect if overtaking high-sided vehicles, adding: “This intense period of stormy weather is going to prove extremely challenging.
“We strongly urge drivers to avoid exposed coasts and higher routes.”