Happy blew year! 2020 begins with gusts of 60mph
Met Office alert as revellers head home
WEARY travellers will need to wrap up as they make their way home following the New Year festivities amid warnings of high winds and rain.
The Met Office has said an Atlantic weather system will hit the West Coast with gusts of around 60mph, just as partygoers hope to make their way back from trips to the isles.
Ferry operator CalMac has placed a number of services on alert for delay or cancellation today and says weather conditions expected tomorrow are not promising.
Among the routes affected are Ardrossan to Brodick, on Arran; Oban to Castlebay, Barra; and Mallaig to Oban and Lochboisdale, South Uist.
Prospects for the Mallaig crossing will be reviewed at 8am today but CalMac says it has been warned to expect wind speeds gusting to 57mph.
Marco Petagna, of the Met Office, said: ‘It’s looking pretty windy on the West Coast on Thursday and possibly Friday as well.
‘It is possible transport in this region could be disrupted and there’s a chance we may have to issue a weather warning later. Even on the mainland, we are expecting gusts of between 50 and 55mph.’
Tuesday night saw perfect conditions for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay street party, with clear skies allowing enjoyment of eight minutes of spectacular fireworks.
The New Year 2020 dawned with a heavy frost in the North-east, where a low of -5C (23F) was recorded at Fyvie Castle in Aberdeenshire yesterday.
The same area can expect a repeat of frosty conditions this morning, but any area south of Perthshire will be protected from the chill by cloud cover.
Rain will begin moving in from the North-west, creating a wet and windy day for southern and western areas later.
Aberdeenshire will be sheltered from the unsettled conditions, at least for the morning.
Drier and brighter weather will follow later in the day before a second band of rain from the North-west makes its presence felt by evening. This will clear away to the South-east during the night, heralding a colder set-up for Friday. In the South and East, this will pave the way for bright and sunny conditions, while higher ground will see some snow.
Shetland, in particular, has been warned to expect snow lying to lower levels on Friday.
Mr Petagna added: ‘Things will feel colder by Friday but it also starts to get windy again.
‘It’s a frosty start to Saturday morning, but gradually, milder air starts to move in later in the day. This will bring thickening cloud and rain for the West.’
The blustery conditions come after Scotland recorded what could be the UK’s hottest December day ever with the mercury hitting 18.7C in the Highlands.
The temperature was recorded at a weather station in Achfary, in Sutherland, last weekend.
‘Thickening cloud and rain’