Scots warned to be prepared for severe weather as winter looms

An awareness campaign has been launched to encourage people to prepare for all forms of severe weather.

Around 40% of people feel prepared for severe weather, according to new research.

It also shows that 41% of people are concerned about power cuts, being cut off from water supply or disruption to fuel supplies.

Meanwhile 76% of car owners think they are doing enough to prepare for poor driving conditions with just an ice-scraper and de-icer.

Launching the Ready for Winter? campaign, Transport Minister Keith Brown said: "One of the key drivers behind this year's campaign is to encourage everyone in Scotland to start thinking about how severe weather could impact them at home, before setting out on journeys, in their communities and at their place of work.

"Our weather can change quickly and this year we have already seen some people affected by floods and high winds.

"We need to keep getting the message out to families, businesses and communities across Scotland about the need to get ready for all kinds of severe weather. Our preparedness campaign shows the simple steps we can all take to achieve this."

David Miller, Red Cross operations director for east Scotland, said: "Severe weather can take many forms, not just snow and ice, and it is important that we are all prepared for it at home, on the road and in the community.

"Last winter was the mildest in years, yet many people in Scotland still suffered hardship and inconvenience due to high winds and flooding which resulted in temporary loss of utilities and caused great damage. We cannot legislate for the weather but we can make life easier for ourselves if we take a few simple steps to prepare for it."

The survey interviewed over 1000 people and was carried out jointly by the British Red Cross and the Scottish Government.

Sean Batty, STV's weatherman, said: "Temperatures last weekend reached 16C on the Moray coast but will tumble away this week with temperatures several degrees down next weekend.

"Widespread frost can be expected by the weekend with wintry showers affecting exposed northern and north eastern areas, such as Northern Isles, Sutherland, Caithness, Moray and north Aberdeenshire.

"Several centimetres of snow can be expected on higher ground while at low levels accumulations should just be temporary. The cold spell is likely to be fairly prolonged and last into November."

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