Police Scotland Travel Warning | High Risk of Disruption
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MET OFFICE AMBER WEATHER WARNING
HIGH RISK OF DISRUPTION
The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning for SNOW & ICE. There may be a high risk of disruption for road users in the following areas
• Central, Tayside & Fife (Angus, Perth and Kinross, Stirlingshire)
• Grampian (Aberdeenshire)
• Highlands & Eilean Siar (Highland)
• Strathclyde (Argyll and Bute)
The AMBER warning is effective from 7am on Saturday 23rd November 2024 to 5pm on Saturday 23rd November and runs in conjunction with a previously issued YELLOW warnings for WIND between 5am on Saturday 23rd November to 7pm on Saturday 23rd November for the following areas:
- Central, Tayside & Fife (Angus, Fife, Perth and Kinross, Stirling)
- Grampian (Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray)
- Highlands & Eilean Siar (Highland, Na h-Eileanan Siar)
- Orkney & Shetland (Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands)
- SW Scotland, Lothian Borders (Dumfries and Galloway, East Lothian, Edinburgh, Midlothian Council, Scottish Borders)
- Strathclyde (Argyll and Bute, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire)
and RAIN & SNOW between 4am on Saturday 23rd November 2024 to 9am on Sunday 24th November 2024 for the following areas:
- Central, Tayside & Fife (Angus, Clackmannanshire, Falkirk, Fife, Perth and Kinross, Stirling)
- Grampian (Aberdeenshire, Moray)
- Highlands & Eilean Siar (Highland)
- SW Scotland, Lothian Borders (Dumfries and Galloway, East Lothian, Edinburgh, Midlothian Council, Scottish Borders, West Lothian)
- Strathclyde (Argyll and Bute, East Ayrshire, East Dumbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dumbartonshire)
The full Met Office warning can be accessed via this link – UK weather warnings - Met Office
Details:
Storm Bert will bring Heavy snow will spread north eastwards on Saturday morning, giving significant accumulations in many areas. Accumulations of 10-20 cm are likely on ground typically above 200m, with potentially as much as 20-40 cm on hills above 400m. Snow will eventually revert to rain during Saturday afternoon but may be preceded by a short spell of freezing rain in places adding to the ice risk. Strengthening winds will lead to drifting of lying snow, with difficult travelling conditions likely on higher level routes, and the risk of interruptions to power supplies. A fairly rapid thaw of lying snow is then likely on Saturday night as milder air moves in.
A period of strong southeasterly winds is likely for a time on Saturday, with peak gusts of 50-60 mph in many parts of the warning area, but 60-70 mph in some coastal areas and also locally to the lee (northwest) of high ground, and perhaps in excess of 70 mph along some exposed coasts of Northern Ireland and western Scotland.
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, Twitter/X or their website
- Other information can be found on the Met Office, Ready Scot. For public transport information visit www.travelinescotland.
Snow/Ice
- Keep well back from the road user in front. Stopping distances can be up to 10x greater than on dry roads.
- Check your windscreen washer levels and effectiveness of wiper blades.
- Check your vehicle’s lights. You must ensure your lights are clean and number plates are clearly visible.
- Ensure your windows are completely clear before driving. Failure to do so can result in a fine.
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
- 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.
How to get the latest travel and traffic information
Visit our homepage and use the map and its route checker to view any live and future disruptions that may impact your journey.
Listen to the Traffic Scotland Radio for the latest national and regional traffic and travel updates.
Follow us on Twitter @trafficscotland for real-time updates on the Trunk Road Network.