Hurricane winds batter Scotland as Hogmanay celebrations get underway
STUBBORN Scotland survived hurricane-force winds on Hogmanay to storm into 2018.
SWNS / TOBY WILLIAMS
Gusts of 76mph were recorded at Port Ellen on Islay, while the Met Office confirmed that Storm Dylan touched 95mph on the top of Cairn Gorm.
According to the Beaufort Scale, a hurricane must have sustained winds of at least 74mph.
Trees were felled, the Tay Road Bridge was closed to all traffic and thousands were left without power as the tempest swept west to east across the country.
In Edinburgh, police closed Princes Street to deal with a flying marquee, part of a stage for last night’s Hogmanay street party.
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It was convenient that this low arrived when it did. "Had it come any later in the day, it could have resulted in serious problems for organised New Year celebrations.
Pedestrians were kept away from an area next to the Christmas Market so that the material – including lighting equipment – could be safely retrieved.
The A737 was closed south of Dalry in Ayrshire by a road traffic collision, though it is not known if it was caused by the weather.
Waves crashed on to the A78 in Ayrshire, closing the road in places, while Scotrail were forced to suspend services between Kilwinning and Ardrossan.
The train operator also reported “severe disruption” on the Helensburgh to Edinburgh line due to high winds near Dumbarton Central.
ScottishPower said the winds had resulted in substantial damage to its network, with power cuts affecting people in West Lothian and Lanarkshire as well as Helensburgh in Dunbartonshire.
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks had 4,500 customers without power in mainland Argyll as well as on Islay and Jura.
During the afternoon the energy firms said they would be reconnected in time for the Bells.
A spokesman for SSE said: “We thank everyone for their patience.”
SWNS
At one stage, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency had a flood alert for Dumfries and Galloway and seven, more severe, flood warnings in place for exposed parts of the south-west of the country.
Many Cal Mac services were cancelled on the west coast.
Fallen trees blocked roads in several places, including the A720 Edinburgh bypass and the B824 in Dunblane, Perthshire.
A trampoline was blown into a Keystore shop in Johnstone, Renfrewshire.
Management used their Facebook page to ask the owner to come and remove it.
They posted a picture, with the caption: “It’s stuck between our shop window and the bus stop. If you could come and collect it, that would be great.”
The Met Office said the accurate forecast for the strength and path of Storm Dylan had helped the public adjust Hogmanay journeys.
Gordon Mckinstry of the Met Office in Aberdeen said: “It was convenient that this low arrived when it did.
"Had it come any later in the day, it could have resulted in serious problems for organised New Year celebrations.”
With Dylan well on his way into the North Sea, the weather should calm down across Scotland today, he said.
Extreme weather: Most dramatic photos ever
Wed, August 2, 2017The weather across the world is getting wilder and weirder, causing chaos, death and destruction around the globe.
These frightening photos of lightning from a hurricane above Miami, Florida in the USA were taken after the storm left a trail of destruction in the Caribbean.
Last night it emerged that a man died after plunging into near-freezing water after getting off a bus.
The 59-year-old man jumped off the vehicle between Errol and Grange in Perthshire.
It is understood he almost then jumped over a low wall beside the country road – apparently not realising there was a drop to the Pow Burn.
He immediately got into difficulty and his travelling companion, a 34-year-old male, jumped in after him.
A local resident also went to their aid. However, the man was pronounced dead at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee.
