Battered by the 113mph storms
Travel chaos after hurricane-force winds sweep in
SCOTLAND is braced for a further battering today after hurricaneforce winds caused widespread travel chaos and structural damage across the country.
More than 100,000 homes were left without power, while rush-hour transport came to a grinding halt.
Scot Rail suspended all services for safety reasons after gusts of up to 113mph – the highest in more than 40 years – brought down trees and power lines.
A man, feared to have been swept into the water by high winds or huge waves, was found dead in the sea near Ardrossan Harbour, Ayrshire.
The body was spotted at around midday by a man walking his dog. Police said the death was unexplained and a post-mortem examination would be carried out.
Today, severe weather is set to return, with snow and ice following on from the ferocious Atlantic blast, driven by a 250mph jet stream, which raked Scotland.
As it hit land, a gust of 113mph was recorded at Stornoway on Lewis, the strongest since records began there in 1970. Gusts of 110mph were recorded at Loch Glascarnoch, Ross- shire, 97mph at Altnaharra, Sutherland, and 90mph in Edinburgh.
Damage to power lines left more than 100,000 homes without power at the storm’s height. Last night, Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution (SHEPD) said 45,000 customers were still without electricity, with the Western Isles and rural Highland areas worst hit. Some families may have to wait until today to be reconnected.
Around 1,000 technical and support staff had been mobilised ahead of the storm, with engineers working in ‘challenging and potentially dangerous conditions’.
Rodney Grubb of SHEPD said engineers faced a ‘monumental task’ in getting to damaged lines. ‘Welfare vans’ have been sent to the worst affected areas offering free hot food and drinks to affected customers, while welfare care is being organised for the most vulnerable.
Mr Grubb added: ‘Trees and branches have made some rural roads impassable. We are also having to remove airborne debris tangled up in our power lines.
‘It is regrettable that some of our customers may be left without power overnight.’
Elsewhere, the storm damaged property and brought down trees. In Inverness, the city centre Premier Inn was evacuated at around 3am after a gable wall collapsed,
In Edinburgh, part of Rose Street was closed after masonry fell from a building near the Roxburghe Hotel.
Two fire crews were called to Mariscat Road in Pollokshields, Glasgow, where part of the roof of a housing block was blown on to the street.
In Stornoway, the front window of Hebridean Jewellery shop was blown in and valuable items were blasted out.
Manager Fay Ross said she was delighted that not a single piece of jewellery went missing. ‘There was a £130 bangle lying there. In all there was about £1,000 of jewellery just lying on the street.
‘The whole shop could have been raided. Anyone could have got in.’
All schools in the Western Isles and Orkney were closed, while Heriot Primary in Paisley, Renfrewshire, was unable to open after its roof was damaged.
High ground was badly affected, with a gust of 140mph recorded at the summit of Cairngorm.
The BBC’s Winterwatch studio, in a cabin on the Mar Lodge Estate, near Braemar, Aberdeenshire, was destroyed by the storm.
On the railways, the Caledonian sleeper service to Aberdeen hit a tree at Cupar in Fife, which delayed it for several hours.
David Dickson of Network Rail said: ‘The intensity of Thursday night’s storms exceeded forecasts, causing extensive damage to overhead power and signalling equip- ment at locations around the network as well as bringing trees and other debris down onto railway lines. The damage done to our infrastructure was so extensive that we needed to take the precaution of closing all our lines while vital checks were carried out to make sure we could safely carry passengers.’
According to the Met Office, the ferocious gales were stirred up by an extra-powerful jet stream propelled by plunging temperatures in the United States hitting warmer air in the south.
Forecasters say the weather is not likely to ease over the weekend, with the Met Office issuing a Scot- land-wide yellow ‘be aware’ warning for high winds, snow and ice today and tomorrow.
Lashing rain and gales are also expected along the West Coast, while the AA has warned drivers to take care in the ‘potentially hazardous’ conditions.
The Scottish Government’s Resilience Team met yesterday to coordinate the response to the severe weather. NHS boards are also on alert for an increase in admissions.
Transport Minister Derek Mackay said: ‘Many parts of Scotland have been affected by the severe winds that we’ve experienced overnight and during the morning rush-hour. It has been a challenging night and morning but teams of engineers are working hard to reinstate services and power supplies.
‘Thankfully most of the public appear to have taken the advice on board to check before they travel or delay their journeys.’
A Police Scotland spokesman said: ‘If you are travelling, you should ensure you and your vehicle are adequately prepared for the conditions, making sure you have sufficient fuel and supplies such as warm clothing, food and water in the event you are delayed for several hours.
‘Charge your mobile phone and plan your route as well as alternative routes.’