Doggone... storm No3 is on the way
WEATHER woes are set to continue this week as Scotland braces itself for the third storm of the year – and further transport and power mayhem.
Forecasters have warned hurricane-force winds are expected again today, with gusts predicted to reach up to 80mph in the far north-west.
Temperatures will also drop to around zero in some parts tonight and widespread wintry showers are expected.
A yellow warning for snow and ice is in force for most of the country and motorists are being advised only to take to the roads if necessary.
The warning follows a fatal crash in rural Aberdeenshire yesterday when a man was killed after his car left the A950 south of the village of New Pitsligo.
The Clackmannanshire Bridge had to be closed for most of yesterday after a lorry overturned due to strong winds.
Many ferry services were also cancelled by CalMac and today’s sailings have been placed on amber alert.
Engineers from Scottish and Southern Energy and Scottish Power worked to restore electricity connections in the north and south of the country after storms on Thursday and Friday left thousands of homes without power. However, their efforts were hampered by continued bad weather.
Krista Mitchell of the Met Office said: ‘It looks like the worst effects will be felt in the Northern Isles, Western Isles and the north-west mainland. Here gusts could hit 80mph.’
Widespread delays have been reported throughout the transport network.
Trains from Glasgow and Edinburgh to Inverness were disrupted and could only go as far as Perth yesterday.
A studio built for the BBC’s Winterwatch nature show has succumbed to the storms. The National Trust for Scotland, which owns the cabin in the Cairngorms, said winds of nearly 100mph caused it to ‘explode from the inside out’ on Friday.