Lorry overturns after crash and trees block railway as Storm Chandra hits Scotland

Key Points

Lorry overturns after crashing through barrier on A82
Fallen trees cause cancellations on journeys to Glasgow and Inverness
Weather warnings in place until Tuesday evening for snow, wind and rain
Flooding closes road on the A76 towards New Cumnock
Calmac said services were suspended on routes from Ardrossan, Brodick, Troon and Oban

A lorry has overturned and trees have fallen on the railway line as Storm Chandra brings disruption to Scotland.

Three weather warnings come into force across the Western Isles, the Borders, the Lothians, Strathclyde, Grampian, Fife, Tayside and the Highlands on Tuesday.

Winds of between 50 to 60mph are set to strike Dumfries and Galloway, Argyll and Bute and South Ayrshire from 5am on Tuesday until shortly before midnight.

Meanwhile, the Lothians, Borders and Strathclyde have been issued a yellow alert for rain and snow between 12am and 5pm.

Scotland

Storm Chandra: Rain, snow and 60mph winds to hit parts of Scotland

Three Met Office weather warnings are in force across a number of regions on Tuesday.

On the A82, a lorry overturned after crashing through a barrier on the side of the road around Loch Tulla in high winds.

There were no reported injuries and disruption to drivers was kept to a minimum, according to BEAR Scotland.

On Scotland’s railway, a tree is blocking the line between Carrbridge and Inverness, with services subject to delay and alteration.

ScotRail said a tree was also blocking the line at Taynuilt, with services from Glasgow Queen Street to Oban cancelled.

The B9080 is closed between Bridgend and Threemiletown in West Lothian after a tree fell on a car around 1.15pm on Tuesday. There were no reports of any injuries and drivers are asked to avoid the area.

At New Cumnock, the A76 is restricted in both directions due to flooding on the carriageway.

On the A9, gritters are out in force as snowy conditions have caused disruption on the roads.

In Dunoon, heavy winds caused some damage at the Riverside Leisure Centre.

The road outside the centre was also closed as Argyll and Bute Council said repairs will be carried out when conditions allow.

Images of an HGV and coach that overturned in high winds this morning on the A82. BEAR Scotland

Snowy conditions on the A9 at #Drumochter BEAR Scotland

Police Scotland confirmed the A93 to Glenshee Ski Centre is currently closed in both directions due to heavy snowfall in the area.

A flight bound for Newcastle from Dubai was forced to make an emergency diversion to Edinburgh Airport on Tuesday during the storm.

Calmac said services were suspended on routes from Ardrossan, Brodick, Troon and Oban among others due to the severe weather.

Regions affected by the warnings will face between 20-30mm of rainfall with some places facing up to 50mm. Snow depth of up to 20cm is expected in high areas with between 2-5cm expected in lower parts.

Tayside, Fife, Grampian and the Highlands also face a yellow weather warning from 6am until midnight.

The latest weather warnings come a week after those living in Aberdeenshire, Perthshire and Angus faced significant disruption after they were battered by days of heavy rain.

Insight Sean Batty Weather presenter

After a week of persistent rain and flooding across parts of Aberdeenshire, Perthshire and Angus, more rainfall is the last thing we need – but unfortunately it’s exactly what’s on the way.

The wettest conditions on Tuesday are again expected to affect Aberdeenshire, Angus, Perthshire and Stirlingshire, where 40–50mm of rain is possible. Similar totals are likely across the Borders, South Lanarkshire, South and East Ayrshire, and Dumfries and Galloway.

There will also be some snow, though mainly confined to higher ground above around 300 metres, keeping it clear of most of our villages. The heaviest snowfall will fall above 500 metres, where around 20cm is expected, with drifting and blizzard conditions making the mountains particularly hazardous on Tuesday.

This will provide another boost for the ski centres – especially Glenshee, The Lecht and Cairngorm, which has been digging itself out after some exceptional snowfall over the past week. The highest Munros in the south and east of the Grampians could see as much as 30–40cm of fresh snow.

The strongest winds associated with Storm Chandra will affect the west of the UK, from Cornwall through to the Hebrides.

An amber weather warning has been issued for Northern Ireland – one of the main reasons the storm has been named – where gusts could reach 75mph. In Scotland, the strongest winds are expected around Islay, Jura, Kintyre and coastal parts of Dumfries and Galloway on Tuesday afternoon, with gusts possibly reaching 60mph along exposed coasts.

Overall, the main concern for Chandra in Scotland is rainfall. Given that some areas saw over 100mm of rain in just a few days last week, there is a renewed risk of localised flooding, particularly on country roads.