There has been widespread disruption across the north and north-east of Scotland today after the region was battered with heavy wind, rain and snow overnight.
- A number of ferry crossings have been cancelled for the day while the Lecht snow gates have been closed this morning.
- There have been numerous flood warnings issued across the north and north-east, with the entire Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray and Highland, Western Isles, Argyll and Bute, Orkney and Shetland regions put on alert.
- Kingussie High School is closed for the day, giving more than 400 pupils the day off, while Moray College UHI is also closed after suffering storm damage.
- The Met Office has issued a yellow be aware warning for snow in the Highlands, which lasts until 1pm today.
Whilst it may be dry for many right now, it's going to turn increasingly wet and windy 🌧 pic.twitter.com/00kFCzPG8G
— Met Office (@metoffice) January 14, 2020
- The Cairngorm Mountain Rescue team were called out late last night after an injured walker was reported missing. The walker was traced safe and well at a bothy around six hours later.
- Several roads in the Western Isles have also been affected by the weather, with Eriskay Causeway among those currently closed.
Western Isles – Roads update – Uist – Eriskay Causeway and Stinky Bay road currently closed, North causeway under review. Lewis – Braighe currently open, this is likely to close as High tide approaches. All road users are advised to drive with caution due to standing water.
— Western Isles Police (@WIslesPolice) January 14, 2020
- In Aberdeen, there is a localised flooding warning on Riverside Drive. Anyone parked on this road is being advised to move as flooding is expected there at Bon Accord Glass from around 2pm to 5pm because of the effects of Storm Brendan and a high tide.
- There have been numerous reports of flooding across the region, including at Stonehaven, Oban and Caol.
- The road close to the Applecross Inn has partly washed away after the area was battered by the storms.
Communities are preparing for more damage today with flood, wind and snow warnings in place, and Sepa has said the threat of floods may remain for much of the week due to continuing high winds.
Storm Brendan lashes the north – and there are warnings of more to come
Amid the worst of yesterday’s weather, only the intervention of the emergency services saved two people from harm.
First a disorientated man was rescued in a remote part of Sutherland.
Believed to be in his 30s, he was found in the middle of the moor at Achiltibuie in appalling conditions.
A postman, who is a member of the local coastguard rescue team, had spotted him in obvious difficulties at around 10.10am.
Stornoway Coastguard, which co-ordinated the incident, said the man had been showing obvious signs of hypothermia.
He was kept warm until he could be taken into the care of an ambulance crew.
Then the Kyle Lifeboat came to the aid of a fisherman on Loch Duich who got into difficulty as he made his way to a fishing vessel by tender.
It was launched at about 11am and he was assisted safely to shore.
Giant waves more than 25ft high were recorded off the Outer Hebrides.
The super-sized waves were nearly twice the height of a double decker bus.
They reached 25.6 feet at 1pm far off the Western Isles in the North Atlantic – recorded by a buoy called K5, which gathers data on the movement of the sea.
