Members of the public are being advised to prepare for heavy rain and strong winds as Storm Frank sweeps across the country today.
The First Minister, Deputy First Minister and portfolio Ministers took part in a resilience call yesterday and been updated on the emerging weather situation and the work underway with local partnerships to co-ordinate the response and ensure at risk areas are as prepared as possible.
The Met Office has issued an Amber warning for persistent and heavy rain overnight and into today for large parts of Central and Southern Scotland and up into Angus and Aberdeenshire. This is expected to result in widespread significant flooding, particularly in Dumfries & Galloway and western parts of the Borders, with the possibility of severe flooding in some areas. A Yellow (Be Aware) warning for rain is in place for much of the rest of the country.
A Yellow alert for strong winds has also been issued for much of Scotland which could see gusts of 70-80 mph and coastal over-topping in northern and western parts of the mainland and islands.
Environment Minister Aileen McLeod said: “Winter storms have already had an impact on parts of Scotland, and even more extreme conditions are expected with the arrival of Storm Frank.
“The forecast is for strong winds and heavy and prolonged rainfall across much of the country, with the wettest weather expected across central and southern areas.
“In many places, ground is already saturated and river levels high. Members of the public in these areas should be alert to the risk of significant or even severe flooding and the potential for disruption.
“The situation is being closely monitored 24/7, and the First Minister and Deputy First Minister have participated in a resilience meeting to discuss the situation and the co-ordination of the response. We will continue to work closely with SEPA, the Met Office, local authorities and the emergency services to coordinate a multi-agency response and ensure that people and businesses are as prepared as possible for the impact of the weather and any potential flooding.
“I would encourage everyone to monitor SEPA’s Floodline website for the latest flood information and to sign up to receive Floodline warnings direct to their phone.”
Transport Minister Derek Mackay added: “Storm Frank promises to bring more difficult travelling conditions than usual to parts of Scotland over the coming days.
“We will be doing everything we can to keep Scotland’s transport networks operational throughout this latest period of bad weather, including increasing patrols on main routes and deploying teams to clear drainage systems in advance of the heavy rain.
“I would encourage everyone using the roads over this period to plan your journey by using the Traffic Scotland website and Twitter feed and listen to the latest Police advice before setting off.”
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