Relieved residents across the north and north-east woke up this morning to the sound of silence for the first time in days.
The noise of fierce wind and lashing rain, almost constant since Thursday evening, has finally faded.
But although Storm Babet may have passed, it has left behind a trail of destruction.
And life won’t feel normal for many for some time to come, with major clean-up operations just beginning.
The search for a man who went missing on a flooded road near Marykirk on Friday is continuing, and scores of people are still in fear of flooding.
One family is grieving the loss of a 57-year-old woman swept away by a river on an Angus shooting estate.
What’s the latest as Storm Babet warnings are lifted?
The red weather warning, meaning lives are in danger, expired on Saturday night while other alerts for Aberdeenshire and the Highlands have also now been lifted.
While there are no weather warnings in place, there remains the chance of heavy rain and water levels are still a concern.
Flood warnings are still in place for Inverurie and Kintore, though the alert for Kemnay has been lifted.
The same red-level warning applies to parts of Speyside, including Aberlour and Craigellachie.
But experts have advised people in Caithness and Sutherland that the flooding risk flagged on Saturday is no longer a threat.
As the skies clear, the Met Office has now issued a warning for ice across the north and north-east.
It will come into force from 9pm tonight and is expected to last until 9am on Monday morning.
What about the roads?
Various road closures have been in place since Thursday night, disrupting travel plans and leaving supermarket shelves barren.
Several routes remain affected even in the aftermath of Storm Babet.
- Between Dundee and Stonehaven, the A90 is still shut.
- The Slug Road between Crathes and Stonehaven is also closed.
- The A832 at Moy Bridge near Fort William has been closed due to rising water levels.
- The A862 road between Dingwall and Ardullie is also shut due to flooding.
Motorists have been urged to drive slowly as surface water is not always visible, and stopping distances are increased.
Were people in Peterculter evacuated?
People in the Peterculter area of Aberdeen were last night told they might have to flee their homes as rising water levels from a burn threatened to swamp their homes.
However, this morning it has emerged that a herculean effort to keep the water at bay meant that nobody had to evacuate.
Storm Babet warnings lifted but trains are still off
Meanwhile, many rail services have returned to normal but the worst-hit lines are still off limits.
The lines between Aberdeen and Dundee, and Aberdeen and Elgin, remain closed.
And services between Inverness and Wick, Thurso and Kyle of Lochalsh are off.
Storm Babet update: 07:20
ℹ️ If you're looking to travel today, please continue to check your journey on our app, website or live https://t.co/gv0MwedF0k page. pic.twitter.com/QlROZDXQJt
— ScotRail (@ScotRail) October 22, 2023
SSEN is working to restore power to the final residents left without electricity following Storm Babet.
An update on Sunday morning said a staggering 36,000 homes had already been restored.
The Sunday Post reports that this could be among the most costly weather events in the history of Scotland.
- Follow the latest updates here.
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