Key Takeaways:
- Storm Bram is expected to bring strong winds and heavy rain to Scotland, with yellow and amber warnings issued for wind and flood alerts in place.
- The storm is expected to cause disruptions to trains, ferries, and roads, with some services cancelled or delayed.
- The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has issued 13 flood alerts and almost 30 flooding warnings, including for Edinburgh, Ayrshire, Orkney, and Western Isles.
- Power company SSEN has warned of a "strong likelihood" of power cuts during the storm.
- The Met Office has issued yellow and amber warnings for wind, with gusts of up to 90mph expected in some areas.
Introduction to Storm Bram
Storm Bram, named by the Irish weather service Met Éireann, is the second named storm of the season, and it is expected to bring strong winds and heavy rain to Scotland. The storm is expected to affect much of the country, with yellow and amber warnings issued for wind and flood alerts in place. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has issued 13 flood alerts and almost 30 flooding warnings, including for Edinburgh, Ayrshire, Orkney, and Western Isles. Power company SSEN has warned of a "strong likelihood" of power cuts during the storm.
Transport Disruptions
The storm is expected to cause disruptions to trains, ferries, and roads, with some services cancelled or delayed. ScotRail has announced that some trains in the north-west will finish early, and there will be speed restrictions and delays in other parts of the country. Several ferry routes on the west coast are cancelled or facing disruption, with CalMac warning of possible disruptions caused by the weather conditions on all routes not currently cancelled or delayed. P&O Ferries and Stenaline sailings between Cairnryan and Northern Ireland are also affected, with a number of cancellations due to the forecast high winds. Police Scotland has advised freight drivers that Operation Overflow, an emergency parking plan for lorries that cannot get on ferries, will be activated at 10:00.
Weather Warnings
The Met Office has issued a number of yellow warnings for wind covering the whole of Scotland on Tuesday and Wednesday. An amber warning is in place for the Western Isles, north-west Highlands, and Argyll and Bute from 16:00 to 03:00 on Wednesday, with very strong south-westerly winds expected to result in gusts of 70-80mph widely, and up to 90mph in a few places. A yellow warning has been issued for north and north-east Scotland, Argyll and Bute, and parts of central Scotland from midday to midday on Wednesday, with gusts of 60-70mph expected fairly widely. A yellow warning has also been issued from midday Tuesday to 06:00 Wednesday for eastern Scotland, central and Southern Scotland, as well as parts of northern England and Wales, with gusts of 50-60mph possible widely.
Flood Alerts and Power Cuts
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has issued 13 flood alerts and almost 30 flooding warnings, including for Edinburgh, Ayrshire, Orkney, and Western Isles. The agency said there were risks around coastal flooding, high water levels on rivers, and surface water on roads. Power company SSEN has warned of a "strong likelihood" of power cuts during the storm, and has been increasing its level of preparedness. The company has advised customers to be prepared for potential power cuts and to have a plan in place in case of an outage.
School Closures and Event Cancellations
Some schools in the Highland Council area, including Skye’s Portree high school and primary, are closing early due to the forecast. In Glasgow, the Winter Wonderlands Christmas markets at Glasgow Green and St Enoch Square were cancelled for Tuesday. The Skye Bridge is expected to close for all vehicles between 16:00 and 23:00, while the Kessock Bridge at Inverness is due to be shut from 19:00. Transport Scotland has introduced a number of restrictions on bridges, and drivers are advised to check the latest information before traveling.
Conclusion
Storm Bram is expected to bring significant disruptions to Scotland, with strong winds and heavy rain expected to affect much of the country. The storm is expected to cause disruptions to trains, ferries, and roads, with some services cancelled or delayed. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has issued 13 flood alerts and almost 30 flooding warnings, and power company SSEN has warned of a "strong likelihood" of power cuts during the storm. Residents are advised to be prepared for potential disruptions and to stay up to date with the latest information from the Met Office and other authorities.