Warning: Yellow

To expect: Rain

Affected areas: Central, Tayside and Fife, Grampian

Start time estimate: Wednesday midnight

End time estimate: Wednesday 11pm

The Met Office has announced a Yellow rain warning for Central, Tayside and Fife as well as Grampian for Wednesday. All local areas affected are listed below.

The regions should prepare for substantial rainfall, starting on Wednesday at around midnight and ending at 11pm.

The Yellow alert for rain was announced at 10:49am on Monday, February 9.

A Met Office forecast said: “Rain, heavy at times, will persist across eastern Scotland during Wednesday. This, coming on top of recent rainfall, is likely to lead to some disruption and possible flooding impacts in places. A further 20-30 mm may fall quite widely, with potential for another 40-60 mm building up over high ground. As freezing levels lower from the north, snow is likely to fall above 300-400 metres, especially across Aberdeenshire, Angus and Perthshire, where 5-10 cm of snow may accumulate by the end of Wednesday.”

What to expect

Where flooding occurs, there is a slight chance of delays or cancellations to train and bus services; Spray and flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures; There is a small chance that homes and businesses could be flooded, causing damage to some buildings; There is a small chance that some communities will become cut off by flooded roads; There is a slight chance of power cuts and loss of other services to some homes and businesses.

What should you do during intense rain?

Check if your property could be at risk of flooding. If so, consider preparing a flood plan and an emergency flood kit. Give yourself the best chance of avoiding delays by checking road conditions if driving, or bus and train timetables, amending your travel plans if necessary. People cope better with power cuts when they have prepared for them in advance. It’s easy to do; consider gathering torches and batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essential items. Snowy, wintry weather can cause delays and make driving conditions dangerous. Keep yourself and others safe by planning your route, giving yourself extra time for your journey. Check for road closures or delays to public transport and amend plans if necessary. If driving, make sure you have some essentials in your car in the event of any delays (e.g., warm clothing, food, water, a blanket, a torch, ice scraper/de icer, a warning triangle, high visibility vest and an in-car phone charger). Be prepared for weather warnings to change quickly: when a weather warning is issued, the Met Office recommends staying up to date with the weather forecast in your area. For further details see Met Office Warnings & Advice.

Full list of local regions affected

Central, Tayside and Fife
Angus, Dundee, Fife, Perth and Kinross

Grampian
Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire

What is a yellow weather warning?

The Met Office has three categories of weather warning, depending on the likely impact of severe weather and also how likely it is to strike in a particular area.

A yellow warning is issued when weather conditions are expected to disrupt travel and traffic and may impact on daily routines but are not likely to pose a risk to life or property.

An amber warning is more severe and advises people to think about changing their plans to minimise the risk.

A red warning means weather conditions are expected to be dangerous with widespread damage to property and a risk to life, with the public usually advised to avoid travelling.

The Yellow weather alert for rain will remain in effect until 11pm on Wednesday.