The Met Office has issued a weather warning for later this week when Storm Caroline is expected to hit the north.
The yellow alert comes into force from 8am on Thursday till 11.55pm that night and covers Grampian, Highlands and islands.
The warning states Storm Caroline is “expected to bring a spell of very windy weather to northern Scotland on Thursday”.
It goes on to say: “Gusts of 60-70 mph are expected quite widely, with gusts to 80 mph possible near north facing mainland coasts and across the isles. Road, rail, air and ferry services may be affected, with longer journey times and cancellations possible. Some short term loss of power and other services is possible. It is likely that some coastal routes, sea fronts and coastal communities will be affected by spray and/or large waves.”
The service’s chief forecaster assessment adds: “The strongest winds will reach the northwest early on Thursday, extending to the north-east and Northern Isles in the afternoon. Winds will start to ease in the west by then with the strongest of the winds becoming confined to the Northern Isles in the evening. Snow showers will turn increasingly frequent and heavy across northern Scotland during the evening.”