After a week of extremely cold weather, temperatures are set to hit double figures in many parts of Scotland. However, the Met Office has warned that as the snow and ice begins to melt, there is a possibility of flooding.
Temperatures in Altnaharra, Scotland, plummeted to a shocking -18.9C on Saturday morning, with this year’s cold snap becoming the UK’s coldest January in 15 years. As we begin to peel off our extra layers, Scots are still being advised to have their wellies on standby for potential flooding.
The Met Office has put out more than 30 flood alerts across Scotland and England, and meteorologist Greg Dewhurst has said the most drastic changes in weather as we head into a new week will be experienced by Scotland, along with Northern Ireland and the far north-west of England.
He said: “Cloudy and patchy rain are moving in from the Atlantic and winds will turn south-westerly, bringing in milder air”.
According to Sepa, eight Scottish regions have been issued flood alerts, while two have been hit with more certain flood warnings, which you can find below.
Scotland areas under flood alerts
- Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City
- Argyll and Bute
- Caithness and Sutherland
- Easter Ross and Great Glen
- Findhorn, Nairn, Moray and Speyside
- Strath Oykel
- Skye and Lochaber
- Tayside
- Wester Ross
Scotland areas under flood warnings
- Strath Oykel
- Strath Carron
- Nairn Side (Cawdor)
Usually, the average low in northern Scotland at this time of year is 0.3C – an extreme difference compared to the lows witnessed last week. BBC weather Scotland have said that this week Scots can expect a “much milder week to come”.
However, this does not mean we should be getting rid of our hats and gloves just yet as this morning (January 13) we should expect there to be chances of rain, “brisk winds” and plenty of clouds around. As the rain travels in from the north-west, it is described to be “quite a persistent and heavy spell of weather” as it travels south eastwards across Scotland.
Scattered showers will continue to follow, along with a strong wind around the Isles and coasts, so don’t be storing away your umbrella just yet! Into the evening, the sky should begin to clear with the breeze bringing temperatures down to between 5C and 9C across Scotland. Tuesday is set to be largely dry with some “patchy drizzle” in the west.
However, Daniel Bond, flood duty manager at the Environment Agency, explains that the combination of the melting snow and rainfall could mean there is “low likelihood” of minor river flooding, so it is best to stay safe while travelling.
He added: “Environment Agency teams continue to be out on the ground, operating flood defences, taking action to reduce the impact of flooding, issuing flood warnings and supporting those communities affected.”
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