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Trains and ferries disrupted as heavy rain hits west of Scotland

An amber weather warning for rain is expected to come to an end earlier than previously forecast.

Neil Pooran
Sunday 17 December 2023 12:02 GMT
Heavy rain hitting the west of Scotland has led to transport disruption, with trains and ferry services affected (File image/PA)
Heavy rain hitting the west of Scotland has led to transport disruption, with trains and ferry services affected (File image/PA) (PA Archive)

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Heavy rain hitting the west of Scotland has led to transport disruption, with trains and ferry services affected.

But an amber weather warning for rain is expected to come to an end earlier than previously forecast.

The alert, which affects parts of the Highlands along with Argyll and Bute, will now end at 6pm on Sunday.

A yellow rain warning which covers a slightly larger area ends at midnight.

A number of public transport services were hit by delays and cancellations on Sunday.

The Met Office said the most severely impacted areas could endure a month’s rain in a day.

The forecaster said: “Following persistent and heavy rain over the past 24 hours, rain is expected to continue through Sunday morning before moving south and gradually easing later.”

It added: “This significant rainfall also has the potential to trigger shallow landslides and debris flows, most likely across the south of the Highland region and Argyll.”

On X, formerly known as Twitter, ferry operator CalMac announced the cancellation of several of its services, warning of possible disruption to other sailings.

ScotRail told passengers to check for information on their journeys before setting off.

The extreme weather led to speed restrictions on a number of railway lines in the Highlands and west of Scotland.

Sepa has issued a flood warning in Strath Oykel, while flood alerts have been issued in Caithness and Sutherland, Argyll and Bute, Easter Ross and Great Glen, Skye and Lochaber, and Wester Ross.

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