Scotland weather: Flood alerts as Scotland braces for half a month’s worth of rain in two hours on Monday

The warning affects large parts of Scotland and is in place from 11am until 9pm on Monday.

The Met Office said Scotland could potentially see 20-40mm of rain, equivalent to half a month’s worth, in just two hours. The worst of the weather is expected during the afternoon and early evening.

A separate yellow warning for rain has also been issued from this afternoon until 6am on Tuesday, affecting parts of the Highlands and Strathclyde region. The Met Office said Knoydart and Skye potentially seeing accumulations of 70 mm of rain as heavy rain persists into the night.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has issued fifteen flood alerts, from Dumfries and Galloway in the south all the way up to Ullapool. It said thundery downpours could lead to some surface water flooding and rising river levels.

As well as heavy showers, some lightning, hail and gusty winds are also likely, the Met Office said. It said there was a small chance of power outages and damage to buildings as a result of floodwater and lightning strikes.

A yellow warning for thunderstorms was also in place from 12pm until 10pm on Sunday.

Will travel be affected?

The Met Office has warned of difficult conditions for drivers, potential road closures and delays or cancellations to train and bus services.

It also said there is a small chance that some communities could become cut off by flooded roads.

ScotRail has said it is aiming to operate a full timetable but that delays are possible due to the flooding. It is urging passengers to check for updates on the ScotRail app or website before travelling.

You can keep up with information about the weather warnings on the Met Office website, and live traffic updates on the Traffic Scotland website