Parts of Scotland can expect to be drenched in torrential downpours from tonight with the Met Office issuing yellow weather warnings for rain. The yellow warning comes into force from 6pm covering parts of the northwest.
The warning will be in place for three whole days – lasting until midday on Tuesday – with forecasters warning of a risk of flooding and transport disruption. A staggering 150mm (5.9 inches) of precipitation is expected in some areas, according to the Met Office.
The brutal washout in the last full week before Christmas comes as high winds are also expected at the Premier Sports Cup final at Hampden today between Celtic and Rangers. It follows Scotland and the rest of the UK being battered by Storm Darragh last week.
Speaking on Friday’s forecast, Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern said: “Over the last few days, much of England and Wales has seen that low cloud earlier in the week but over the last couple of days that’s spread to much of Northern Ireland and Scotland. The low cloud covering the hills, bringing misty conditions, bringing drizzle as well here and there and some more persistent rain into the far northwest.”
The yellow alert begins at 6pm on Sunday and will end at noon on Tuesday. Concentrated in the northwest, it covers Perth and Kinross, Stirling, the Highlands and Argyll and Bute.
Up to 100mm (3.9 inches) is widely expected, while higher amounts are to fall over exposed hills and mountains. Flooding could affect homes and businesses, make journey times longer with public transport delayed. Rapidly melting snow may also contribute to any impacts.
It comes after the Met Office said it was too soon to say whether Scots might get a white Christmas this year. Separate weather models like WX Charts have predicted a major snow bomb for Scotland starting on Christmas Eve.
McGivern added: “Certainly, there are no signs of a strong signal for a white Christmas. The computer models are run lots and lots of times and then we can pick out where areas where they are agreeing, and areas where they’re disagreeing and then we can talk about the most likely weather patterns.”
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