Tag: rain

RoSPA: Take extra care as Storm Chandra brings snow and rain 

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) is urging people to take immediate safety precautions as amber weather warnings are issued ahead of the arrival of Storm Chandra. 

Storm Chandra, the third major storm to affect the UK this month, is expected to bring a combination of damaging winds and heavy rainfall from Monday into Tuesday. The Met Office has issued an amber wind warning for eastern Northern Ireland, with coastal gales and gusts of up to 75mph likely, creating dangerous conditions and large waves that may overtop sea defences.  

An amber rain warning is also in place for south‑west England, where 30–50mm of rain is expected widely, rising to 60–80mm over higher ground, increasing the risk of flooding on already saturated land. 

RoSPA safety advice 

RoSPA advises the public to take immediate steps to reduce the risk of injury and disruption: 

  • Avoid unnecessary travel, especially in areas under amber warnings or where flooding is likely. 
  • Keep mobile phones and essential devices fully charged in case of power cuts.
  • Monitor official weather updates and follow instructions from local authorities. 
  • Secure outdoor items such as bins, signage and garden furniture to prevent damage or injury. 
  • Prepare a basic emergency kit with torches, batteries and non‑perishable food. 
  • Stay indoors during periods of severe weather and ensure windows and doors are securely shut. 
  • Check in on vulnerable neighbours, particularly those living alone or in rural areas. 

Driving safety during heavy rain and flooding 

RoSPA is reminding drivers that severe weather greatly increases the risk of road collisions: 

  • Heavy rain reduces visibility and can double stopping distances – slow down, allow extra space between your vehicle and the vehicle in front and plan manoeuvres early. 
  • Use windscreen wipers at all times in poor conditions, and use washers and dipped headlights as appropriate. 
  • Aquaplaning occurs when tyres lose grip on surface water – reduce speed, maintain correct tyre pressure and tread depth to avoid aquaplaning, and if it happens, ease off the accelerator and avoid harsh steering or braking until grip returns.
  • On flooded roads, avoid deep water near kerbs and never drive through water if the depth is uncertain. Find an alternative route.  

Rebecca Guy, Senior Policy Manager at RoSPA, said: “Storm Chandra is expected to bring hazardous conditions that significantly increase the risk of injuries, particularly from falls, flying debris and dangerous driving conditions.

“Taking simple precautions now – such as avoiding unnecessary travel, securing loose items and staying informed – can make a real difference in keeping people safe.” 

RoSPA is urging the public to prioritise safety and avoid taking unnecessary risks while severe weather warnings remain in place. 

Storm Amy: Safety Advice

Yellow warnings for rain are currently in place across parts of Scotland and will remain until midnight tonight.

A yellow rain warning for parts of Scotland has been issued for 12pm on Friday to 3pm on Saturday.

A yellow wind warning will also be in place across Scotland from 3pm on Friday to midnight on Saturday.

Stay safe by:

Delaying travel if possible

Avoiding driving on exposed routes

Securing loose objects that could be blown into windows or cause danger

Keeping up to date on weather reports and warnings

Visiting http://ready.scot for preparedness advice

Police issue travel advice issued ahead of Storm Jocelyn

The Met Office has issued a new Amber warning for wind across parts of western and northern Scotland.

The warning is in place between 6pm tonight (Tuesday, 23 January) and 8am tomorrow – Wednesday, 24 January.

The following areas are expected to be affected by the Amber warning:

  • Grampian (Aberdeenshire and Moray)
  • Highlands and Eilean Siar
  • Orkney
  • Strathclyde (Argyll & Bute and North Ayrshire)

A Yellow warning for wind affected all of Scotland is also in place between 1600hrs today (Tuesday, 23 January) and 1300hrs Wednesday, 24 January.

Additionally, a Yellow warning for rain is in place and is valid between 0700hrs and 1800hrs on Tuesday (23 January).

Further information about the weather warnings and flood information is available on the Met Office and SEPA websites.

General advice for road users:

  • Plan ahead and avoid unnecessary travel
  • All road users should consider if they really need to travel during adverse weather
  • Consider delaying travel until conditions improve
  • If you are travelling on the roads, prepare yourself and your vehicle for the conditions
  • Ensure your mobile phone is charged and plan your journey, including an alternative route
  • Have sufficient fuel, warm clothing, food and water in case you’re delayed
  • Do not ignore road closure signs – they are for your safety
  • Congestion caused by vehicles may restrict emergency services and recovery vehicles from providing essential assistance
  • Listen to media broadcasts, including radio, for updates Traffic Scotland radio player | Traffic Scotland or visit Traffic Scotland | Trunk road traffic updates & route planner
  • Follow your local authority for the latest updates in your area via Facebook, X or their website
  • Other information can be found on the Met Office and Ready Scotland websites. For public transport information visit www.travelinescotland.com
  • Follow @trafficscotland on X for up-to-date travel information.

Wind

HGV and bus drivers should drive with extreme caution and be aware you may be asked to park at a suitable position by the police.

Drivers of vehicles vulnerable to being blown over should plan their route to avoid exposed areas or consider cancelling your journey until conditions improve.

Cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians should consider the risk of being blown over or into the path of other road users.

Rain / Surface Water

Drive to the conditions. Spray can reduce driver visibility.

Be aware of increased stopping distances. In wet weather, stopping distances will be at least double those required for stopping on dry roads.

Driving through areas of flooding can result in catastrophic damage to your vehicle. It may also result in the road becoming blocked with recovery required and may delay emergency services and road maintenance workers.

Storm Babet: It’s not over yet

Significant storm impacts to continue this weekend

The Scottish Government’s Resilience Room (SGoRR) met last night as more exceptional levels of rain were expected to hit parts of the country this weekend, causing further disruption and challenging conditions.

The meeting was chaired by the First Minister after a further high level Red Warning was issued by the Met Office for parts of Angus and Aberdeenshire from 00:01 to 23:59 Saturday.

People are urged not to travel and to stay at home in the affected areas, unless advised to relocate to a rest centre, with ‘exceptional’ levels of rain likely to result in significant disruption and danger to life. 

Amber warnings for rain will be in place for Easter Ross, Caithness and Sutherland on Saturday. In these Amber areas it is being advised people should avoid travel unless absolutely necessary.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has reported that record water levels have now been recorded at a number of its gaugeing stations, and that five Severe Flood Warnings are currently in place, as well as 11 regional Flood Alerts, and 16 local Flood Warning.

First Minister Humza Yousaf said: “Storm Babet has now, tragically, claimed lives, and my deepest condolences go out to the families of those who have lost loved ones in tragic circumstances.

“I want to pay tribute to everyone across the multi-agency response to Storm Babet who continue to operate, often in incredibly difficult conditions to keep the people of Scotland safe.

“Unfortunately, it is clear we have not seen the last of this storm. Around half the average monthly rainfall for October is expected to fall through tonight and tomorrow in areas that have already been severely affected by exceptional levels of rainfall.

“It was always expected that the impacts of the storm would continue even once the most severe aspects of the storm itself had subsided, but a new Red Weather alert makes the ongoing severity of this situation clear. My very clear message to those covered by the Red Warning remains: please stay at home and do not travel, unless advised to relocate to a rest centre.

“A number of Amber and Yellow Weather Warnings meanwhile remain in place throughout many parts of the rest of the country. I urge everyone, however difficult this might feel over the weekend – particularly sports fans – to keep following the latest advice in order to keep you, and your families, safe.”

Assistant Chief Constable of Police Scotland Stuart Houston said: “We are dealing with exceptional weather conditions which have been extremely challenging for all involved.

“With the red warning being extended until midnight Saturday, this remains a dangerous situation which poses a threat to life.

“We are working hard with a range of multi-agency partners to support communities and those who need our help. Communities in Tayside are dealing with some of the most difficult conditions they have faced, with a number of road closures in place due to hazardous conditions and evacuations continuing of those affected by flooding.

“I would like to thank the public for their co-operation and for sticking to the travel advice in place to keep people safe and would again urge people to continue to follow the advice and listen to media broadcast, including radio, for updates. Follow your local authority for the latest updates in your area as well as police, the Met Office website and Traffic Scotland.

“Our advice is to avoid any form of travel in areas covered by the red weather warning – we are dealing with significant flooding issues, which pose a threat to life.”

Pascal Lardet, SEPA Flood Duty Manager, said:  “These are very difficult days for communities in Scotland who are experiencing flooding, in some cases for the second time in a month. There is more rain to come, and SEPA staff are working around the clock to provide vital information to partners and the public.  

“We started issuing Regional Flood Alerts on Tuesday to provide early awareness and help people prepare, and these are being updated as required. We continue to monitor river levels and issue localised Flood Warnings as required.

“However, it is important to stress that not all areas that could be affected have Flood Warning schemes, so please do take a Flood Alert in your area as advance notice that you could be affected.”

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) issues regional flood alerts and local flood warnings for Scotland. View the latest updates on their website.

Updates on ScotRail services and road conditions are available online.

Advice on preparing for severe weather can be found on the Ready Scotland website.