FLOOD MISERY FOR XMAS DAY
Met Office warns of chaos as rain sweeps across country
SCOTS are being warned to brace themselves for power cuts and severe flooding on Christmas Day – with potentially lifethreatening downpours. Heavy rain is set to cause perilous conditions across the country and
Transport Scotland’s emergency response team has been placed on standby.
Forecasters fear parts of the country will not cope with the deluge, which the Met Office warns could pose a ‘danger to life’. The weather misery is tipped to start unfolding from tomorrow and Christmas Eve, when many Scots are travelling to visit family or finishing their festive shopping.
And with most public transport suspended on Christmas Day, many people will have no choice but to brave the roads.
A yellow ‘be aware’ warning comes into effect for parts of the country on Christmas Eve, and extends to much larger areas the next day.
Western areas will start being hit by heavy rain from tomorrow.
The yellow warning initially covers a small area of Argyll and the West Highlands but by Christmas morning this will extend to Grampian, Highland,
Central, Tayside and Fife. The alert states: ‘There is a small chance that homes and businesses could be flooded, with power cuts and loss of other services.
‘There is also a small chance of fast-flowing or deep floodwater causing danger to life and causing some communities to be cut off by flooded roads.’
The Met Office added: ‘Heavy rain is likely over parts of western Scotland from Saturday through to Monday.
‘Heavy rain may become more widespread on Monday compared to the weekend. Spray and flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures.
‘Where flooding occurs, there is a chance of delays or cancellations to train and bus services.’
Brian Gaze, a forecaster with The Weather Outlook, said a deep area of low pressure from the Atlantic was likely to bring a very wet Christmas Day.
He added: ‘Gale-force winds are likely on its southern flank.
‘If the storm develops as models currently show, I would not be surprised to see between 30mm and 50mm (1-2in) of rain in parts of Scotland on Christmas Day.’
Last Christmas, Storm Barbara brought 83mph winds and power cuts to 15,000 households. But this year, the rain could turn into snow on Christmas night.
Mr Gaze said: ‘As colder air filters, there is the potential for the wet Christmas to be replaced by a white one in the north of Scotland and over the mountains.’
Should conditions become as bad as predicted, the Scottish Government will activate its resilience committee to keep traffic moving and co-ordinate the restoration of power supplies.
The Met Office’s Emma Sharples said: ‘It is not the kind of forecast I want to be delivering at this time of the year but unfortunately I cannot change it.
‘Most of the west of Scotland will see a very wet December 23, 24 and 25. The farther east you are, you will get protection from the hills, but elsewhere across many parts of Scotland it will be a very wet Christmas period.
‘Things look set to improve by Boxing Day. I would not rush out for my bracing walk but as long as you are not up with the lark and have enjoyed a leisurely breakfast, conditions may be fine if you plan to venture out.’
The Traffic Scotland National Control Centre will be monitoring the network and informing the public of any incidents.
Gritters have been out more than 4,000 times so far this winter to treat roads, with around 2,000 patrols operational.
Transport Minister Humza Yousaf said: ‘The weather can be changeable at this time of year and we have to prepare.
‘Our multi-agency response team is being stood-up at the Traffic Scotland National Control Centre and will be monitoring the trunk road network and feeding out information to the public.
‘With heavy rain expected, we would ask people to drive to the conditions. We will have operational teams, gritter drivers and control room staff working across the next two weeks as required.
‘Despite a prolonged cold spell, there is more salt in stock than was used all of last winter, and we are trialling a new flood recovery vehicle to help mitigate the effects of heavy rain on the network.’