UK weather: Yellow warning extended as Scotland braces for more rain after Storm Babet

The northeast of Scotland is once again bracing for an onslaught of rain after a weather warning was extended as the region recovers from Storm Babet.

A yellow weather alert begins at 12pm on Thursday and will remain in place until midday on Sunday.

The warning was initially scheduled to be lifted at 12pm on Saturday but has been extended to Sunday to “account for a likely slower clearance”.

The Met Office alert covers many of the areas that were severely impacted by Storm Babet, which brought devastating flooding to parts of the UK and is believed to have led to the deaths of seven people.

Parts of Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Dundee, Perth and Kinross are expected to be worst hit.

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The Met Office forecasts the rain could potentially ease off for a time late on Friday or early on Saturday morning.

But the downpours are expected to bring around 30-40mm of rain near the coast. Around 50-100mm is likely to fall over higher ground – with the possibility of up to 100-150mm in a few locations.

Forecasters said the “persistent and occasionally heavy rain” would be less heavy than last week, but rain falling onto already saturated ground “may lead to further flooding in places”.

Spray and flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and road closures, with the Met Office also warning of possible delays and cancellations to train and bus services.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) said it will be monitoring the situation and will issue localised flood warnings as required.

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Aberdeen

Aberdeen City Council is urging residents to keep an eye on the weather forecast and to sign up to flood warnings from SEPA.

A spokesperson from the local authority added: “Residents in flood-prone areas are recommended to stock up on their own flood prevention including sandbags or door flood stops from DIY stores, builders’ merchants, or online.”

Aberdeenshire

Aberdeenshire Council said it will continue to monitor updates issued by the Met Office and SEPA.

Road users are being advised that the A92 Lower North Water Bridge in the south of the region remains closed until further notice.

A spokesperson for the local authority said: “Once again, we urge everyone to avoid all riversides during the coming days as there remains a real risk to public safety because of flooding and strong flow.

“Communities must start to take precautionary action now – households and businesses should be taking immediate steps to make arrangements for flood protection to safeguard their own property from any flooding.”

Angus

Brechin in Angus was one of the worst-hit areas in Scotland during Storm Babet.

Hundreds of homes had to be evacuated after the River South Esk burst its banks and flooded parts of the town.

First Minister Humza Yousaf visited the community on Monday and pledged Scottish government funding.

But Mr Yousaf warned: “It’s going to be a long road to recovery.”

Angus Council is advising residents to keep an eye on the local authority’s social media pages for updates and road closures following the new weather warning.