The Kessock Bridge is at risk of being closed to drivers on Friday as 70mph winds batter Inverness.
Storm Eowyn will make landfall from midnight, bringing strong winds, snow and heavy downpours.
The Met Office has issued both amber and yellow ‘danger to life’ warnings for the north and northeast as the region braces for a day of delays and disruption.
Flying debris and fallen trees are likely to lead to road closures over the course of the storm.
And motorists planning to brave the roads and head north on Friday could face a 20-mile diversion if the Kessock Bridge, part of the A9 Inverness to Thurso road, closes.
Bosses from Transport Scotland have confirmed wind speeds exceeding 75mph will force the closure of the Beauly Firth crossing.
This will require drivers to divert around the Beauly Firth, travelling through Bunchrew and Beauly to rejoin the A9 at the Tore roundabout.
When is the Kessock Bridge likely to close?
The Met Office has already predicted potential restrictions on key routes across the country, including the Kessock Bridge.
The bridge is likely to be closed to high-sided vehicles for spells throughout Friday, between 6am and 11pm.
However, a full road closure is also likely between 2pm and 11pm as conditions worsen.
Forecasters predict that by 6am wind speeds in Inverness will have reached highs of 47mph, before rising to 63mph by midday.
Rush hour traffic heading home for the weekend is expected to be severely affected as winds reach their peak.
Conditions are expected to deteriorate throughout the day, with gusts of up to 77mph forecast by 7pm.
Meanwhile, similar crossings across the Highland route, including the Dornoch Bridge and Cromarty Bridge, could also be liable to closure during the storm.
On the West Coast, drivers travelling to and from Skye could also face disruption, with warnings to remain in place throughout the day.
Disruption is likely to continue on into Saturday, with a yellow weather warning for high winds in place for most of Scotland until 3pm.
That includes all of the Highlands and Islands, Moray and Aberdeenshire.
Updates on the status of bridges across the country can be found on the Traffic Scotland Website.
Read more on Storm Eowyn here:
Storm Eowyn: Full list of north-east weather warnings amid two new amber wind alerts
‘Do not travel’ warning as ScotRail cancels ALL Friday trains ahead of Storm Eowyn
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