HAVING A BLAST
Fierce gales & tropical heat as tempest brings freaky weather
STORM Kathleen battered parts of the nation with 70mph winds yesterday – while other areas enjoyed tropical temperatures.
The tempest from the Azores drew up warmth not normally seen until summer.
Apart from a freak 19.5C (67F) reading seen in the far north in January, this was Scotland’s warmest day of the year so far.
It was a balmy 18.5C (65F) in Edinburgh’s Botanic Gardens and 18.2C at Lossiemouth on the Moray Coast. Meanwhile, Achnagart in Sutherland enjoyed a comfy 17C (63F).
At the same time, coastal communities were battered by winds hitting 70mph, which halted ferries up and down the country.
A yellow Met Office warning for severe weather suggested a “danger to life” on seafronts impacted by high waves and flying debris. Glasgow Airport had to cancel flights to Belfast, Dublin, Tiree and Barra.
It was a similar picture at Edinburgh Airport, which also saw flights to Ireland and Northern Ireland called off.
With retu rn arrivals also axed, this would have affected many Rangers fans travelling to this afternoon’s crunch SPL Old Firm match with their rivals Celtic.
More supporters would have been hit by the cancellation of two Stena Line ferries from Belfast to Cairnryan on Saturday.
CalMac were forced to cancel many services on the west coast, including Ardrossan to Brodick, Claonaig to Lochranza and Oban to Castlebay. With Storm Kathleen hanging around the north west today some sea crossings have been halted until tomorrow at the earliest.
D r i v e r s wer e warned to take care on the nation’s bridges, including the Tyne Bridge on the A1, which was closed to high-sided vehicles.
Train services were af fected between Glasgow Central to Largs and Ardrossan Harbour, a route to Ayrshire traditionally hit by high waves hitting power lines. A diesel train was used for an hourly service between Kilwinning and Largs.
The Met Office said Scottish locations made up the UK’s three windiest locations yesterday. The South Uist Range in the Western Isles recorded 70mph winds at 10am yesterday.
It was 66mph at Drumalbin in Lanarkshire and 64mph at Machrihanish in Argyll.
No sooner had yesterday’s yellow wind warning elapsed at 10pm last night than a fresh one came into effect at 9am this morning.
The Met Of f ice said: “Southerly winds are expected to strengthen to give gusts close to or just above 60mph later on Sunday morning onwards into the early afternoon.
“During the course of the afternoon, winds will veer south westerly and the strength of gusts will start to ease a little.
“Windy weather will be accompanied by blustery, squally showers and rain.”