Amber rain warning - Sunday 17 December

Issued by Transport Scotland

The transport network in the north west of Scotland is set to face disruption, following an amber warning for heavy rain from the Met Office.

The amber warning for rain covers a section of the north west, including parts of the Highlands and Northern Argyll, and will be in force for the duration of Sunday 17th December. A yellow warning for rain, covering a wider area of western Scotland, will be in place from Saturday evening until Monday morning.

The rain will bring difficult driving conditions, such as reduced visibility and surface water. Police Scotland is warning of a high risk of disruption in the areas affected by the amber warning.

The Multi-Agency Response Team will be operational throughout the amber warning period and our Operating Companies will carry out inspections of culverts and flooding hotspots, as well as mobilising equipment, ahead of the warnings coming into effect.

Minister for Transport Fiona Hyslop said: “The Met Office is warning us to expect another period of heavy rain this weekend, which will likely bring disruption to the transport network in parts of north west Scotland.

“Our trunk road teams will be out on the network to tackle any issues, but it’s important motorists also play their part and plan their journeys before setting off.

“Make sure your route is available, follow the travel advice from Police Scotland and drive in accordance with the conditions. The Traffic Scotland twitter/X page is regularly updated with the latest information on the trunk road network and the mobile website - my.trafficscotland.org – gives you access to the latest information on the move.

“If you are planning to travel by train, ferry or plane, please check with your operators as the forecast conditions also have potential to impact your services.”

Chief Superintendent Hilary Sloan, head of Road Policing, said:

“Our advice is to plan ahead and consider if your journey is really necessary during the bad weather or if it can be delayed until conditions improve.

“Stopping distances can be at least double on wet roads compared to dry conditions, and spray can reduce driver visibility.

“If you need to travel, please drive to the conditions, be prepared for delays and allow extra time for your journey. Please don’t drive through road closures, the decision to close roads is not taken lightly and is done for public safety.”

David Scott, SEPA Flood Duty Manager, said:

“Prolonged rainfall in the northwest of Scotland from Saturday evening and throughout Sunday is likely to bring significant surface water flooding impacts affecting transport infrastructure, including road and rail, and causing disruption to travel.

“Please don’t walk or drive into flood water. Remember that not only is flood water likely to be dirty, 30cm of fast flowing water can move an average family sized car, and just 15cm of fast flowing water could be enough to knock you off your feet.

“We would advise people to check transport routes and road conditions before travelling, check the Ready Scotland website for advice on preparing for severe weather, follow @SEPAFlood on X for the latest flooding information as well as checking our website for flood alerts in your area.”