Storm Dennis approaches Scotland

The Met Office has issued an upgraded amber warning for heavy rain in parts of Dumfries & Galloway and the Scottish Borders as Storm Dennis approaches.

The amber warning covers an area of central southern Scotland and will be in place from 12 noon until 11pm on Saturday. A yellow warning for wind and rain remains in place for the rest of southern Scotland, the central belt, the west coast and parts of the north west from 7am until 8pm on Saturday. A yellow warning for wind covers the whole of Scotland from noon on Sunday until Monday lunchtime.

Police Scotland is warning of a high risk of disruption to the transport network in the amber warning area, and there is also potential for problems with flooding and power supplies.

The rain and wind will bring difficult driving conditions, such as reduced visibility and surface water. Strong gusts could also lead to bridge restrictions, especially for high sided vehicles.

The Multi-Agency Response Team will be stood up on Saturday at the Traffic Scotland National Control Centre in South Queensferry to monitor conditions and help deploy response teams where necessary.

Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity Michael Matheson said:

“The Met Office is expecting Storm Dennis to bring another period of adverse weather this weekend, with heavy rain and strong winds forecast for much of Saturday and Sunday, and into Monday morning.

“The conditions will bring potential for disruption on the trunk road network, as well as other modes of transport, so it’s important people plan their journeys before they set off.

“Motorists should make sure their routes are available, follow the travel advice from Police Scotland and drive to the conditions. Details of any ‘wind based’ closures for the bridges on trunk road network are available from the Traffic Scotland service.

“The Traffic Scotland twitter page is regularly updated and the mobile website - my.trafficscotland.org - lets people get the latest information on the move.

“If you are planning to travel by train, ferry or plane, please check with your operators to see if the conditions are having any impact on your services.”

Sergeant Iain Blain from Police Scotland said:

“We are advising motorists who will be travelling in affected areas to travel with caution. There is a high risk of disruption with localised flooding expected and we urge drivers to drive to the conditions of the road.

“Be prepared to slow down and drive at speeds that appropriate for the conditions. Plan your journey in advance and allow extra time. You can keep up to date with weather and road information by following The Met Office and Traffic Scotland on social media.”

Mark McLaughlin, SEPA’s Flood Duty Manager, said:

“Storm Dennis brings flood risk across much of the country, with the most widespread impacts expected across Dumfries and Galloway, the Scottish Borders, Ayrshire, Arran and west central Scotland.

“We are also expecting to see significant coastal flood impacts on the west coast, in particular in the Solway Firth and along the Ayrshire coast due to high tides, storm surge and large waves.

“The latest flooding information and advice on how to be prepared will be shared across the weekend. SEPA provides live flooding information and you can sign up for free flooding messages at www.sepa.org.uk/floodupdates or call 0345 988 1188.”