Storm Amy sweeps in to Scotland
Storm Amy, the first named storm of the new season, is set to bring high winds and heavy rain to Scotland over the next few days, with significant disruption expected to the transport network.
The Met Office has issued an amber warning for wind for large parts of the north and west of Scotland, which will be in place from 17:00 on Friday 3 October until 09:00 on Saturday 4 October. A wider yellow warning for wind is in place for the whole of the country from Friday evening throughout Saturday. A yellow warning for rain will also be in place for a large part of Scotland from Friday 3 October at 12:00 and last for the rest of the day. Winds are expected to reach speeds of up to 80mph in exposed areas.
The rain and wind will bring difficult driving conditions, such as reduced visibility, surface water and bridge restrictions, and are also likely to impact ferry, air and rail travel. Police Scotland is warning of a high degree of disruption to the transport network, and there is also potential for problems with flooding and power supplies.
The Multi-Agency Response Team, based at the Traffic Scotland National Control Centre in South Queensferry, will be operational for the duration of the warning to monitor conditions and help deploy response teams where necessary. Traffic Scotland will also be providing updates on social media, website and radio broadcasts.
Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop said:
“Storm Amy is the first named storm of the new season, and the Met Office is warning us to expect heavy rain and strong winds across the whole of the country over the next few days, particularly in parts of the north and west of Scotland covered by the amber warning.
“Motorists will face difficult driving conditions, so it’s vital people plan ahead if they have to travel to see if their route is impacted by the weather.
“Travellers should check the latest information before they set off, drive to the conditions and follow Police Scotland travel advice. The Traffic Scotland website and X/twitter account are updated regularly, and they also have details of any ‘wind based’ closures for the bridges.
“The conditions are likely to lead to disruption on other modes of transport too, so we are urging people planning to travel on trains, ferries and flights to contact their operators to find out if their service is affected.”
Chief Superintendent Scott McCarren, head of Road Policing, said:
“I would encourage people to drive to the conditions and be aware of increased stopping distances.
“In wet weather, stopping distances will be at least double those required for stopping on dry roads.
“Drivers of vehicles vulnerable to being blown over should plan their route to avoid exposed areas or consider cancelling your journey until conditions improve.”v
How to get the latest travel and traffic information
Visit our homepage and use the map and its route checker to view any live and future disruptions that may impact your journey.
Listen to the Traffic Scotland Radio for the latest national and regional traffic and travel updates.
Follow us on X @trafficscotland for real-time updates on the Trunk Road Network.