UK weather divide: Scotland set to be soaked by two weeks of rain in hours as Met Office issue ‘danger to life’ warnings – while south of country to bask in balmy 24C heat with clear skies and sunshine
- Met Office issues an amber warning for rain – meaning there is a ‘danger to life’
Torrential rainfall continues to batter Scotland while those below the border bask in balmy 24C heat with clear skies and sunshine.
The Met Office has issued an amber warning for rain – meaning there is a ‘danger to life’ – across Angus, Perth and Kinross, Aberdeenshire, Moray and Highland until 2pm today.
A separate amber warning, stretching from Aviemore to Glasgow, has now dissipated but much of the rest of the country is still under yellow warnings.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Scottish EPA) has 14 flood alerts – alongside one severe flood warning for the Aviemore/Dalfaber area and 53 further flood warnings.
In a statement, the Scottish EPA said extensive flooding is expected to properties and businesses ‘in and around Aviemore from the early hours of Sunday morning’, with rivers forecast to slowly peak throughout the day.
The Met Office has issued an amber warning for rain – meaning there is a ‘danger to life’ – across Angus, Perth and Kinross, Aberdeenshire, Moray and Highland until 2pm today. Pictured: Flooding in Lochwinnoch, Renfrewshire
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Scottish EPA) has 14 flood alerts – alongside one severe flood warning for the Aviemore/Dalfaber area and 53 further flood warnings. Pictured: Flooding on the train line at Balloch Station
Two people wade through the flood water holding an umbrella and wearing wellies in Dumbarton, Scotland
A separate amber warning, stretching from Aviemore to Glasgow , has now dissipated but much of the rest of the country is still under yellow warnings
Anyone in the affected area is urged to stay away from flood water, avoid unnecessary risks and comply with any evacuation orders.
It comes after a spokesman for ScotRail said some parts of Scotland saw a month’s rain in the 24 hours to Saturday evening, affecting train services throughout the country.
The Met Office said Tyndrum, west Perthshire experienced the most rainfall, with 112.6mm falling on the small village.
Although the rain is expected to continue throughout the morning, it should clear away in the afternoon.
It is a different story for the south of the UK, with sunshine and highs of around 25C forecast by the Met Office for Sunday.
Tom Morgan, a Met Office meteorologist, said the contrasting weather was caused by warm weather travelling up from France meeting cold weather coming from the north with the temperature contrast leading to the heavy rain in Scotland.
The warm weather in southern parts was expected to last until Tuesday.
In a statement, the Scottish EPA said extensive flooding is expected to properties and businesses ‘in and around Aviemore from the early hours of Sunday morning’, with rivers forecast to slowly peak throughout the day
Motorists were trapped in between landslides in Argyll and Bute yesterday after a month of rainfall fell in just one day
The A83 Rest and Be Thankful was hit by seven landslides during the extreme weather, and the Scottish Government held crisis talks in anticipation that the situation would get worse
Flood warnings have been issued for a number of areas across Scotland amid rain which started yesterday and is expected to continue today
Motorists struggle driving through the deep flood water in Dumbarton, Scotland yesterday
Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Chris Almond said: ‘Warmth to the south is likely to continue at least at the start of next week, before a likely gradual return to a more typically autumnal weather regime.’
How this autumn has already been a record breaker for Britain
SEPTEMBER
September 2023 was the joint hottest September on record with 2006 – with a mean daily temperature of 59.4F (15.2C), the Met Office said on Monday.
For the first time in September, temperatures exceeded 86F (30C) for seven consecutive days last month.
A high of 92.3F (33.5C) on September 10 was the UK’s hottest day of the year.
The UK’s hottest day of the year happening in September has only occurred on four previous occasions.
OCTOBER
October 1 was the UK’s warmest start to October in 12 years as Wisley in Surrey hit 75.4F (24.1C). It was also the warmest October day in five years.
Temperatures at the start of October are usually between 54F (12C) in the North and 61F (16C) in the South.
Forecasters are now expecting at least 72F (22C) for at least six days in a row from tomorrow until next Wednesday.
A reading of 79F (26C) in October was last seen in 2018, while the hottest ever October day was in 2011 when Gravesend in Kent hit 85.8F (29.9C).
The amber weather warning in place for parts of the country means that there is the possibility of deep or fast flowing floodwater – causing a ‘danger to life’.
It also warns that the extensive flooding of homes and businesses is possible while ‘building collapse might happen’.
And communities could be ‘completely cut off by flood water’ for several days as roads could close and services suffer delays or cancellations.
The lesser yellow rain warning – that is in place throughout much of northern Scotland – describes ‘heavy and persistent rain’ that may cause some disruption.
The downpour was so bad last night that a search helicopter had to airlift 10 people to safety after landslides buried local roads.
The A83 Rest and Be Thankful was hit by seven landslides during the extreme weather, and the Scottish Government held crisis talks in anticipation that the situation would get worse.
Preparations were made to open community centres in Argyll and Bute to help vulnerable people, while Police Scotland warned against travelling to the region.
Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable Tim Mairs said: ‘Officers have been dealing with significant disruption on the roads caused by the heavy rainfall and we would expect this to continue into Sunday.
‘Our advice is to plan ahead and consider if your journey is really necessary or if it can be delayed until conditions improve.’
According to the Met Office, a typical month’s rainfall in Edinburgh in October is 76mm, while Aberdeen sees 99mm. Scotland had 100mm (4in) of rain in parts.
Vincent Fitzsimons, flood duty manager for the Scottish EPA, said: ‘I want to be very clear that this is not a normal autumn day for Scotland. We’re expecting extensive river and surface water flooding in affected areas. There is a danger to life.
A man carries his dog through a flooded street in Dumbarton, West Dunbartonshire, as Scotland suffers extreme rainfall
Parts of the country have been told to be prepared for power cuts and loss of other services to some homes and businesses, for some communities cut off by flooded roads and for spray and flooding leading to difficult driving conditions and some road closures
Warnings told locals to expect homes and businesses to be flooded and damage to some buildings, danger to life from fast flowing or deep floodwater and delays or cancellations to train and bus services
‘There will be widespread impacts to road and rail. There is a risk of more significant community scale property flooding.’
Justice Secretary and Minister for Resilience Angela Constance chaired a meeting of the Scottish Government’s Resilience Committee (SGoRR), which was attended by First Minister Humza Yousaf.
Ms Constance said: ‘As the weather warnings outline, heavy rainfall is expected to continue in many parts of the country into Sunday and some areas will have a month’s worth of rain over the course of the weekend.
‘I would urge everyone across the country to heed the travel warnings being issued by Police Scotland and others – in particular, drivers in Argyll and Bute should avoid travel due to the significant disruption across the road network.
‘We are aware that the initial, most severe impacts have been felt by people and businesses in Argyll and Bute, as well as other areas in the west and north of the country.
‘Ministers are receiving regular updates on the situation from partners, including Sepa, the Met Office, and Police Scotland as it unfolds.
‘This afternoon I convened SGoRR in recognition of the severity of the situation which will continue to develop over the next 24 hours.’
Mudslides have been reported on both the A83 and the A815, near Inveraray. HM Coastguard confirmed that it sent a search and rescue helicopter to attend and airlift 10 people to safety.
A member of the public has put sandbags by their door to keep the flood water out of their property in Dumbarton, Scotland
Shop owners and homeowners have used cushions to try and stop water entering their properties
Motorists struggle driving through the deep flood water in Dumbarton, Scotland yesterday
A spokesperson told the Daily Record: ‘The HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopter from Prestwick airlifted 10 people cut off by a landslide at the junction of the A815 and A83 near Inveraray on 7 October.
‘The alarm was raised at about 9.15am. The people were flown safe and well to Inveraray and met by the Inveraray Coastguard Rescue Team and provided with shelter.’
A Police Scotland spokesperson also told the outlet: ‘We were called to reports of multiple landslides on the A83 and A815 on the morning of Saturday, 7 October, 2023. A number of vehicles were stuck between the landslides.’
The police confirmed that emergency services attended to those who were stuck and that nobody was injured.
The force said that the road currently remains closed and urged drivers to avoid travel in and around the area.
Travel disruption is also expected, with ScotRail cancelling trains on a number of lines and the LNER line no longer going north of Newcastle.
ScotRail said there would not be replacement buses for the routes, including those between Perth and Inverness.
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