Flood alert as heavy rain hits Scotland
Much of Scotland is on flood alert as heavy rain lashes large parts of the country.
Much of Scotland is on flood alert as heavy rain lashes large parts of the country.
Surface water was causing difficulties for motorists on Friday morning and ferry services were disrupted by high winds.
It follows localised flooding earlier in the week which led to the cancellation of some rail services between Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Fire service crews were deployed to drain the Winchburgh Tunnel near Broxburn in West Lothian after 50mm of rainfall in the area the previous day.
ScotRail said services had resumed on Friday.
The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for heavy showers and thunderstorms through to Sunday, and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) has 14 flood warnings in place.
Transport Scotland said the heavy rain means saturated ground and areas already hit by flooding may be affected again.
A spokesman said: This will cause challenging conditions for drivers and commuters, and we would again urge the public to check before they travel, follow police advice, and to drive to the conditions, where routes are passable.
Planning is under way to prepare for the continued heavy rainfall to allow for early interventions, such as having pumps ready and available in an effort to avoid further closures at known sites. However the sheer volume of rain does make this challenging.
The multi-agency response team is operational for the duration of this latest severe weather to monitor the network and provide support and assistance.''
Neil Armstrong, chief meteorologist at the Met Office, said: This low-pressure system will bring challenging conditions, including unseasonably strong winds and heavy rain, from the west during Friday and Saturday.
Summer storms - compared with those in autumn and winter - always have the potential to create additional impacts because more people are likely to be outdoors, especially by the coast.
Additionally, with trees in full leaf they are more vulnerable to being brought down by strong winds.'
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