Tag: Met Office

Fifty years of winter: who feels the deepest chill?

  • Scotland East takes the coldest and frostiest crown with an average winter temperature of 2.3 degrees and 44 days of frost – 18 days more than the least frosty region England South West / Wales South.

  • Scotland North has the most rain, seeing over 8 weeks of rainy days during winter. That’s 25 days more than the driest region East Anglia which only suffers a month’s worth of rainy days.

  • England South East/Central sees the most winter sun with a total of 180 hours of clear sunshine during December, January and February. That’s 77 hours more than the darkest region Scotland North which sees an average of 103 hours of cloudless sunshine, almost an hour less sunshine a day.

  • England and Wales see 45 hours more clear sunshine during winter than Scotland, and 24 hours more than Northern Ireland.

  • When compared to England and Wales, Scotland has 9 more days of frost, 12 more days of rain and is 1.4 degrees colder on average during winter.

There’s nothing more British than a conversation about the weather, and with winter well and truly here it’s often a moan. Whether it’s too cold, too dark or even too warm to snow, it seems we’re never quite happy with what’s going on outside. Some of us, however, have more reason to complain than others … particularly if you live in Scotland! Continue reading Fifty years of winter: who feels the deepest chill?

Roads team preparing for all conditions

The Winter fleet for Scotland’s trunk roads has been expanded to help make it more responsive to weather conditions. As well as more than two hundred traditional gritters located at 42 depots across the country, Transport Scotland has procured a new recovery vehicle which will help mitigate the impacts of flooding. It has been custom fitted with a remote controlled crane and specialist pump to help clear up incidents. Continue reading Roads team preparing for all conditions

Emergency planners meet as wild winds batter Scotland

FORTH ROAD BRIDGE CLOSED – lorry blown over

Ministers have been updated on preparations for the wintry weather expected in Scotland this week at a meeting of the Scottish Government’s resilience team yesterday. The Met Office has issued several Yellow (Be Aware) warnings for snow and strong winds from today through to Friday.

Details are available at http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/warnings

The meeting, chaired by Deputy First Minister, John Swinney and Transport Minister, Humza Yousaf, covered planning for all major modes of transport and the utilities. The flood risk for Scotland remains low for the next few days.

The conditions will lead to some difficult driving conditions. The strong winds will be the most immediate issue with likely road bridge restrictions on Wednesday, especially for high-sided vehicles. When combined with the sleet and snow showers there is also a risk of snow drifts on higher routes on Thursday and Friday.

Gritting teams will be out across the period to help keep the trunk roads moving. Patrols will also be stationed at strategic locations on the network to make sure that they can respond to any emerging issues.

Disruption to other transport modes, especially ferries tomorrow, is a possibility and passengers should check the latest on conditions before they set-off on their journeys.

Utilities companies are putting the necessary arrangements in place to cope with incidents should they arise.

Transport Minister, Humza Yousaf said: “We will be seeing cold and windy conditions over the next few days and plans are in place to help us do all we can to mitigate the impact of the snow and gale force winds.

“The transport network is likely to be the first sector affected by strong winds on Wednesday with possibility of HGV restrictions on bridges. Our winter treatments will be carried-out across the period with patrols out where required. We have more gritters available than before and salt is in plentiful supply.

“Key routes will be monitored through our network of weather stations and live cameras and the Traffic Scotland National Traffic Control Centre will take all of this information and send it out to road users through the website and Traffic Scotland twitter feed on a 24/7 basis.

“We would ask that people keep the conditions in mind when they are making their travel plans and leave plenty of time. We are making as much information available as possible to allow the public to make informed decisions.  The winter treatments page on the Traffic Scotland website has details of which routes are being treated and our Trunk Road Gritter Tracker lets road users see where gritters have been out in the last 24 hours.

“Travel operators websites will have all of the relevant information on ferries, rail and air and Traffic Scotland has a webpage with all of these links. The advice is to check before travel to make sure that you get to your destination safely.”

Chief Superintendent Andy Edmonston, Head of Road Policing, said: “With a risk of weather-related disruption for the remainder of the working week, motorists should bear in mind the risk of potentially hazardous driving conditions to come.

“If you are traveling, please ensure your vehicle is well prepared before setting off; making sure your windscreens are completely free of snow and ice; ensure your number plate is clear; and your lights are working and clean.

“Ensure you have sufficient fuel in the vehicle, as well as supplies for yourself and passengers, including food, water, warm clothes and a fully charged mobile phone. Check your route before you set off, and consider options for an alternative route, if necessary. Be aware public transport could be disrupted and restrictions could be in effect on road bridges.

“Motorists should also adapt their driving to suit road conditions, as well as the behaviour of other road users, including leaving more space between vehicles.

“Road Policing crews will be patrolling the trunk roads and other priority routes to keep people safe during this period – please follow our advice and travel with caution.”

The Scottish Government’s annual resilience marketing campaign, Ready Scotland, is a good reminder of the simple actions we can all take to prepare for adverse conditions.  Further information is available at www.readyscotland.org

FORTH ROAD BRIDGE CLOSED

The Forth Road Bridge is likely to remain closed until after the rush hour after an articulated lorry was blown over at 2am this morning

 

Severe weather warning: check before you travel

Scotland is braced for a weekend of storms with winds of up to 100mph overnight and tomorrow followed by snow and ice. Looks like we’re going to have a winter after all …

storm clouds

Government Ministers are receiving regular and detailed updates on preparations for the severe weather due to hit Scotland tonight and tomorrow morning, following a meeting of the Scottish Government’s resilience team this morning.

The Met Office has Amber (be prepared) warnings in place for very strong westerly winds across the north and the central belt.

Parts of Strathclyde, Central, Tayside, Fife and the Lothians will be affected by conditions until around 0800 hours on Friday with gusts of 60-70 mph quite widely expected. The Western Isles, the north and north-west of the mainland and Orkney will see gusts of 80 to 90 mph with a risk of gusts of over 100 mph in places until around midday.

The rest of the country is covered by a Yellow (be alert) warning and winds should quickly ease from the west throughout Friday, before picking on Saturday morning.

Responder authorities in the areas expected to be affected are activating their plans to deal with the potential impacts.

There is expected to be disruption on the transport network and a Multi-Agency Response Team (MART), involving partner organisations, such as Police Scotland, is being activated to monitor conditions and make sure that the public has the latest information.

Utility suppliers are increasing staff resources and putting back-up resources in place to deal with potential disruption to power supplies.

Deputy First Minister, John Swinney said: “The weather fronts will bring particularly strong winds across the north-west of Scotland, the islands and across the central belt overnight and when people are making their way to work in the morning.

“The Scottish Government’s Resilience operation is actively monitoring weather developments and receiving updates from the Met Office, SEPA and the utilities companies, as well as keeping in touch with emergency responders and councils at a local level in the areas likely to be affected by adverse weather

“Contingency plans are being made by transport authorities and passengers should expect cancelations and disruption on ferries and the railways. The travel operators websites will have all of the latest information and people should check them before they set-off on their journey.

“On the roads, bridges could be affected by high winds, and driving conditions could be challenging, particularly for high-sided vehicles. Motorists should allow extra time for their journeys and check the Traffic Scotland website before they set-out.

“Utility companies are increasing resources and moving them to places where the storm is likely to damage the electricity network.

“The Scottish Government’s annual campaign, Ready for Winter, is a good reminder of the simple actions we can all take to prepare for adverse conditions. Information is available at www.readyscotland.org”

SEPA Hydrology Duty Manager David Faichney said: “We are currently in the process of preparing flood alerts and warnings for areas where there is a potential for impacts. We remain in contact with our partners through the Flood Forecast Service and will ensure detailed flood forecasts are available to responders.

“As always we would encourage the public to be mindful of the weather forecast and remain vigilant to the risk of flooding in their area by checking the active flood updates on our website at www.sepa.org.uk/flooding or by signing up to Floodline on 0345 988 1188.”

David Dickson, Network Rail route managing director for Scotland, said: “Safety has to be our first consideration during severe weather. We will be withdrawing a limited number of services on exposed routes tomorrow until the worst of the storm has passed to allow our engineers to thoroughly inspect the network for any damage.

“We will be monitoring conditions on the ground closely throughout the night and into the morning and will have teams ready to respond to any issues caused by the storm.

“We are working closely with the train operators, and other industry partners, to reduce disruption as much as possible while also operating a safe network for passengers.”

SEVERE WEATHER ADVICE

DrylawRainSevere weather has the ability to disrupt our daily lives, in all sorts of ways, like the loss of power and property damage. By knowing what to do to prepare, you will reduce the risks.

Weather conditions and warnings

Travel

  • Consider the conditions before you set off and think about how severe weather can impact on you. See Ready Scotland’s advice on travelling.
  • For real-time journey information, listen to radio reports or visit the Traffic Scotland website/ twitter feed.
  • For public transport information, check the Traveline website/ twitter feed.
  • If driving, ensure you and your vehicle are adequately prepared for the conditions.

Loss of utilities

Flooding

  • Check SEPA’s website for the latest flooding alerts or call Floodline on 0345 988 1188. You can also sign up to SEPA’s free Floodline direct warning service.

Strong winds

  • Like flooding, severe winds can occur at any time of year. See Ready Scotland’s advice on how to prepare for severe windy weather.

Severe weather can strike at any time so taking action now will serve you well in winter, and all year round.

In the last few years, we’ve seen it all – snow, floods and strong winds. And it doesn’t take much for it to impact on our daily lives. Like getting stuck indoors for a few days, or losing your phone communication, power or water supply.

Severe weather can cause a range of problems – but you can be ready for them. By doing a few small things now, you can save yourself a lot of trouble later on.  You can also do your bit to help out in your community.

See below for information and useful tips on how to prepare:

• In your home
• On the move
• In your community
• In your workplace

Scotland braced for severe storms

‘Weather bomb’ expected to cause widespread disruption

waves

Severe gales and exceptionally high waves will hit Scotland today , with western coastal areas particularly affected. The Met Office says western and northern Scotland should be prepared for “dangerous conditions” throughout the day.

Transport services have been cancelled as a rapidly-developing storm – known as a ‘weather bomb’ – threatens wind gusts of up to 80mph. Ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne yesterday warned of severe disruption to its services.

Edinburgh has already experienced thunder and lightning today following a night of heavy rain and high winds. Gusts of over 70mph have been reported on the Forth Road Bridge this morning and the bridge is closed to high-sided vehicles.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has more than 25 flood warnings and alerts in place across the country.

Scottish and Southern Energy is  on ‘yellow alert‘ which means it anticipates power cuts

Very strong winds are expected to affect northern and central parts of the UK until early on Thursday. A second storm front is predicted to track across the country overnight on Thursday, with a yellow warning for snow in for parts of central and southern Scotland in place for Friday morning.

Police Scotland’s Inspector Bryan McGeogh said this morning: “I would advise people to travel with caution across the country. Very high winds are expected which could impact on the road network, rail travel, ferries and bridges and driving in these conditions could be particularly hazardous.”

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) said the “exceptionally strong winds and tidal surge” were expected to produce unusually high tides and large waves along the west coast of the country.

stormThe First Minister chaired a meeting of the Scottish Government’s resilience committee yesterday and received an update on preparations for the severe weather forecast over the next 24 hours.

An Amber (Be Prepared) warning has been issued for severe gales with gusts around 80 mph expected mainly over the Outer Hebrides and Northern Isles tomorrow. This could lead to disruption to travel, power and some dangerous waves over the causeways. Disruption could also be experienced over the rest of the country, which is covered by a yellow warning for high winds, with ferries, rail services and bridges likely to be affected.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Deputy First Minister John Swinney took part in a meeting of the Scottish Government’s resilience committee earlier this evening, and were joined by Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities Keith Brown and Transport Minister Derek Mackay, as well as representatives from Transport Scotland, local resilience partnerships, SEPA, Met Office and other key organisations who will provide an update on their preparations.

Transport Scotland is activating the Multi-Agency Response Team (MART) to monitor the conditions. The MART, which involves partner organisations such as Police Scotland and the Met Office, is being co-ordinated at the Traffic Scotland Control Centre in South Queensferry with access to the best technology available to monitor the situation and react accordingly.

More widely, the Scottish Government will closely monitor the effects of the severe weather. The resilience (SGoRR) committee has been in touch with responder organisations in those areas that are expected to be affected to get updates on the multi-agency efforts being made to deal with potential impacts and will continue to stay in regular contact to discuss prevention and response activity.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “Having visited Transport Scotland’s National Control Centre earlier today (Tuesday) and attended SGoRR this evening to receive an update on preparations I am confident we are well placed to cope. However, weather events can cause significant disruption and it’s important that the public take heed of the latest travel and safety advice this week.

“Our response to major transport incidents is now better co-ordinated and under one roof with experts working alongside each other. We use state of the art monitoring to prepare for all conditions. Weather stations throughout the trunk road network relay information to our operating companies, on temperature, wind speeds and rainfall.

“Before heading out, I would urge the public to consider the conditions. They should listen to radio reports, visit the Traffic Scotland website or twitter feed and take note of the latest police advice.

“The Scottish Government’s annual campaign, Ready for Winter, is a good reminder of the simple actions we can all take in an hour to prepare for adverse conditions. Information is available at Readyscotland.org.”

Steve Willington, Chief Meteorologist at the Met Office, said: “Very strong winds are likely to affect northern and central parts of the UK from early Wednesday and last through until early Thursday as a very deep low pressure system moves slowly eastwards between Scotland and Iceland. A period of severe gales is likely over northern and central Britain, as well as the potential for storm force winds over north western coastal areas of Scotland.”

David Dickson, Network Rail route managing director for Scotland, said: “Safety has to be our first consideration during severe weather and we are withdrawing a limited number of services until the worst of the storms have passed. We will be monitoring conditions on the ground closely throughout the night and into the morning and will have teams in place across the country to react quickly to any damage caused by the weather.

“We are working closely with the train operators and other industry partners to do everything we can to reduce disruption, while also operating a safe network for passengers.”

Richard Brown, Head of Hydrology for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), said: “From today, onwards, the risk of coastal flooding is expected to impact on north western coastlines, especially Caithness, Sutherland, the Western Isles and Argyll and Bute, however impacts are likely to also affect the Orkney and Shetland Isles and the entire west coast – including Firth of Clyde, Clyde estuary and Dumfries and Galloway. The potential for strong to gale force winds, very large waves and tidal surges could result in localised flooding to roads, coastal pathways, causeways and individual properties from spray and wave overtopping.

“The Scottish Flood Forecasting Service predicts that flooding is expected to continue throughout the week, with Wednesday forecast to experience the largest waves and greatest impacts due to the strength of tidal surges. There is a risk of significant flood impacts from wave overtopping and spray during this time, before large waves begin to lessen on Thursday.

“We would strongly encourage people to remain vigilant and be mindful of the conditions in their locality and when travelling, especially along more exposed coastal areas. Members of the public can access the latest flood updates for their area via our website, and sign up to the Floodline direct warning service by calling 0345 988 1188.”

For flood warning updates go to: http://floodline.sepa.org.uk/floodupdates/