Storm Eunice: Latest Tayside and Fife travel updates
A yellow weather warning for snow is in force until 6pm this evening
Last updated 18th Feb 2022
Scotland is braced for snow across most of the country when Storm Eunice hits.
A Met Office weather warning for snow is in place across Tayside and Fife between 3am and 6pm on Friday, while a wind warning encompasses the south-west Scottish borders, including most of Dumfries and Galloway.
Snow is forecast for most of mainland Scotland on Friday, south of Inverness and Fort William.
With more than 20cm of snow predicted on higher ground and 5cm elsewhere, Scottish Mountain Rescue warned there was a risk of "dangerous conditions" including the possibility of avalanches.
It follows strong winds from Storm Dudley that caused significant disruption to rail and ferry services, with trees blown on to train tracks and overhead power lines.
School closures
Due to the bad weather, dozens of schools across Angus are closed.
Perth College has also announced that it will not open today: “Due to adverse weather, which is forecast to cause travel disruption throughout the day, Perth College UHI is closed to staff and students on 18 February 2022. The Academy of Sport and Wellbeing and the college Nursery are also closed. Updates available on our Facebook page.”
More information here: Full list of schools closed across Angus
Latest Disruption
Despite the snow forecast, ScotRail said it does not expect the same levels of disruption from Storm Eunice as from Storm Dudley but has pre-emptively announced some trains will not be running.
Network Rail Scotland announced it has five locomotives fitted with snow ploughs to use as required, it is proactively spraying de-icer on key junctions and extra staff will be deployed to deal with any problems.
Glasgow and Edinburgh trains to Arbroath and Montrose to Aberdeen services will not run because sets of points on the line that allow trains to move tracks are not fitted with heaters, meaning they could freeze and get stuck.
Bus delays and cancellations
In Perth Stagecoach is warning there could be disruption to services in Perth due to snow.
We're being urged to check routes before we travel.
In Angus, Stagecoach bus services will operate between Dundee and Forfar only. Busses will not make it to Kirriemuir and Padanaram until further notice due to road closures.
And due to the bad weather conditions the 21 & 21A services are currently unable to get from Forfar to Brechin.
Road closures and snow gates
Snow gates at the A93 Braemar and A93 Spittal of Glenshee are closed due to the weather conditions.
The A926 Forfar Road at Maryton is shut due to the snow and bad weather.
The M90 at Balmanno hill is also closed due to an accident, causing traffic build-up on the A9.
Updated Met Office weather warning
Scotland's Deputy First Minister John Swinney said he chaired a meeting of the Scottish Government's resilience team and that Storm Eunice "will bring risk of snow and strong winds across most of Scotland on Friday and danger of coastal flooding in south-west Scotland".
He added: "Please follow all advice and only travel if safe to so do."
The Met Office yellow alert for Friday warns there is a chance of travel delays on roads, possibly with stranded vehicles and passengers, along with delayed or cancelled rail and air travel and a slight chance that some rural communities could be temporarily cut off.
The organisation's vice chairman Kev Mitchell said: "The weekend forecast is for very unsettled and, at times, dangerous conditions.
"With the arrival of Storm Eunice on Friday, hills will see high winds and the potential for snowfall to low levels meaning the avalanche forecast will be likely to worsen.
"Good decision-making is key in these situations and often the decision not to go, whilst correct, is the hardest one to make."
Forecasters said there is a small chance of power cuts and that other services, such as mobile phone coverage, may be affected.