Amber Wind Warning for Storm Bram
Travel disruption is expected in large parts of Scotland this week, with Storm Bram set to bring high winds and heavy rain.
The Met Office has issued an amber warning for high winds covering parts of the North West coast and Western Isles, running from 16:00 on Tuesday 9th December through to midnight. Yellow wind warnings are in place for the whole of Scotland from noon tomorrow into Wednesday. A yellow warning for rain in parts of Central Scotland also runs from 06:00 tomorrow until noon.
The conditions are likely to cause disruption to road, rail, air and ferry travel, potentially leading to longer journey times, bridge restrictions and cancellation of services. The strong winds could also lead to fallen trees, damage to buildings and power cuts.
The Transport Scotland Resilience Room and the Multi-Agency Response Team will stand up to monitor conditions, as will the Scottish Government's Resilience Room (SGoRR). Traffic Scotland will provide updates on social media, as well as their website and radio broadcasts, from the National Traffic Control Centre in South Queensferry.
Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop said:
“Storm Bram will be the second named storm of the season, bringing challenging weather conditions and a period of disruption to the transport network.
“The Met Office warnings show high winds will impact the whole country, particularly in parts of the North West and Western Isles covered by the amber warning, so it’s vital people plan ahead if they have to travel.
“The Traffic Scotland website offers the latest information on the trunk road network and also has details of ‘wind based’ closures for the bridges. The Traffic Scotland X page is also updated regularly. I’d urge motorists to check their routes before setting off as the conditions will bring challenges for drivers.
“The high winds are likely to impact other modes of transport, so if you are planning to travel by train, ferry or air, please check with your operator to see if your service has been affected.”
Chief Superintendent Scott McCarren, head of Road Policing, said:
“I would encourage people to drive to the conditions and plan ahead. Drivers of vehicles vulnerable to being blown over should plan their route to avoid exposed areas or consider cancelling your journey until conditions improve.
“In wet weather, stopping distances will be at least double those required for stopping on dry roads.”