Scotland faces a heightened flood risk as environmental authorities significantly increase warnings following a weekend of severe weather. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) has escalated its alert level, raising the number of active flood warnings from three to nine and increasing less severe flood alerts from 12 to 13.
Widespread Warnings and Weather Alerts
The Met Office has concurrent yellow warnings for wind and rain covering much of north-western Scotland, valid until Monday morning. Sepa's specific flood warnings are now in place for several locations, including Dalry and Kilwinning in North Ayrshire, Aberfoyle in Stirling, and Newton Stewart in Dumfries and Galloway. Further warnings cover areas in Orkney and Tayside, with flood alerts affecting much of the rest of the country.
David Morgan, Sepa’s flood duty manager, highlighted the compounding dangers. "Continuing heavy rain, combined with melting snow, increases the risk of flooding," he stated. He identified the greatest risk in Dumfries and Galloway, and the west and north of Scotland, warning of potential impacts on communities, transport, and properties, with very difficult driving conditions.
Government Response and Community Impact
The Scottish Government's Resilience Room met for the seventh consecutive day on Sunday to coordinate the response. Justice Secretary Angela Constance, who chaired the meeting with the First Minister, urged continued public vigilance. "Rising temperatures and heavy rainfall, combined with melting snow, bring a significant risk of flooding in several areas," she cautioned, noting the potential disruption at the start of the working week.
While the immediate wintry conditions have eased, the aftermath is causing significant disruption. Aberdeenshire Council, which had declared a major incident, stood it down on Sunday evening after an extraordinary effort involving council staff, 170 farmers, and contractors to clear heavy snow. Chief Executive Jim Savege warned that a heightened state of emergency response remains due to the ongoing flooding risk from melting snow and further forecasted rain and wind.
Travel Disruption and Ongoing Precautions
Transport networks continue to bear the brunt. A decision on reopening the A83 trunk road is pending a hillside inspection by midday on Monday, subject to improved weather. Bear Scotland's Euan Scott explained that heavy rainfall on Sunday necessitated using the Old Military Road as a safety diversion, causing approximately 20-minute delays.
Matthew Lehnert, chief meteorologist at the Met Office, confirmed the shift in weather patterns, with mild, wet Atlantic air replacing the cold snap. "While the wintry weather may have come to an end, the significant snow accumulations in parts of Scotland mixed with heavy rainfall and an increase in temperatures bring a risk of flooding," he said.
Authorities consistently advise the public to monitor official updates from Sepa, the Met Office, and Police Scotland closely in the coming days.
