The north-east is on alert for another dose of high winds and rain just days after Storm Gertrude shut schools, cut power and caused mayhem for motorists across the region.
The Met Office last night issued an amber warning, urging the public to “be prepared” for “storm force winds” in Grampian and the Highlands and Islands ahead of the arrival of Storm Henry – the latest weather system to hit the region.
The warning will remain in place from 3pm today until tomorrow at 9am. The forecaster has also issued a yellow “be aware” warning for rain.
Gusts of up to 90mph are expected to hit the Highlands as the vigorous low pressure system passes just to the north of Scotland.
Motorists have been urged to plan ahead for their journeys in anticipation of disruption across the transport network, including ferries, and the closure of some key bridges.
The Met Office said that Aberdeenshire and Moray should escape the worst and be slightly more sheltered than northerly regions.
A spokesman said: “There will still be 70-80mph winds in the area with a peak on Monday late evening and the early hours of Tuesday morning.
“I think Grampian will avoid the 90mph gusts which are more likely to hit the Highlands and the central belt.
“There will be rain but it shouldn’t cause any flooding problems.”
Temperatures this morning are expected to reach highs of 9C, dropping to 5C by the afternoon. The wind chill is expected to make the air feel colder however.
Storm Gertrude wreaked havoc in the north on Friday and at the weekend, with the Met Office issuing its most severe red alert, warning people to “take action”.
A gust of 105mph was recorded in Shetland, all flights and ferries in and out of Shetland were cancelled and all the islands’ schools, as well as those in Orkney and the Western Isles, were closed.
The A82 was also blocked further south after a landslide near Loch Lochy in Lochaber.
In the north-east, about 2,000 homes were left without power, while numerous schools were also shut.
The A96 Aberdeen-Inverness road just south of Huntly was shut for a number of hours close to Battlehill after gales blew over a lorry, which was then hit by a car.