If you're just joining us, here's a quick summary of the latest developments as flooding strikes across Scotland:

• The Met Office have issued an amber severe weather warning for much of west and central Scotland with a month's worth of rain expected to fall in one day.
• Landslips have closed roads in rural communities with police warning drivers not to travel in Argyll and Bute.
• There are no cross-border trains running into or from Scotland, with both the east and west coast mainlines closed at the border.
• Train services have been severely affected with all trains cancelled on many northern and Highland lines.
• There has been widespread flooding on roads with many roads too flooded to pass.
• A number of top-flight and lower league football matches have been postponed due to the bad weather.

A series of landslips has led police to issue a warning for drivers not to travel in Argyll and Bute, external.

Police issued the warning for the area which takes in much of rural and coastal west Scotland.

There have been several landslips affecting roads connecting rural communities. Roads closed include the A83 between Tarbet and Lochgilphead because of multiple landslips.

Bear Scotland, which maintains trunk roads, said its engineers were clearing roads and culverts but some would not even be inspected until Sunday.

Image source, HM Coastguard

Image source, Bear Scotland

The Met Office issues warnings when severe weather hits the UK.

There are three levels - yellow, amber and red.

The amber warning affecting most of west and central Scotland today is the middle level. That's one step down from a red warning where people are advised not to travel at all.

But it is still serious. The Met Office says there is a potential risk to life and property, especially from fast flowing or deep floodwater.

It says the heavy rain is expected to lead to widespread disruption with homes and businesses flooded; damage to buildings, and some communities cut off by flooded roads.

There is also the chance of power cuts and loss of services to people's homes.

Image source, PA Media

Much of the UK is having a dry day with some parts of southern England experiencing unseasonably warm temperatures.

This period of heat for is due to warm and humid air originating from north-west Africa and the Canaries, which has set many October records across Europe in recent days.

Today, a high of 26C is expected in south-east England - this is unusual for October and even a little above typical mid-summer highs.

A temperature of 25C has only been reached or exceeded in three other years in the past quarter of a century - in 2018, 2011 and 2001.

However, the all-time October record of 29.9C, set on 1 October 2011 in Gravesend, is unlikely to be reached.

• UK weather: 26C for parts of UK - but heavy rain warning for Scotland

Image source, Julie Odell

Julie Odell and her husband are currently walking the West Highland Way with their dog and awoke at the Beinglas Campsite in Inverarnan to see "the most crazy floodwaters".

"What used to be a field with a track to the A82 has overnight turned into a lake," she said. "The staff are being amazing. We thankfully are in one of their cosy cabins and not camping but have offered our cabin as refuge to any campers.

"Both are track, and the back roads are cut off by flood water. So nobody is going anywhere today and no taxis or cars can come and collect people either."

She added: "It's a good atmosphere with everyone looking after each other here and the staff say they’ve never ever seen anything like this before."

A number of top-flight and lower league games have been postponed due to the bad weather. They include;

• Dundee's Scottish Premiership game with Ross County,
• Dunfermline Athletic v Arbroath in the Championship
• League 2 games Bonnyrigg Rose v East Fife and Elgin City v Stenhousemuir

Three top-flight matches are scheduled for 15:00, but fans have been warned that travel to them could be difficult.

The adverse weather has also affected golf with play at all three courses at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship delayed.

• What games are off? - more detail

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency says it has;

• 37 flood warnings
• 17 flood alerts
• 0 severe flood warnings

Good Morning Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland

Vincent Fitzsimmons, of the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa), told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme: "We are expecting widespread flooding through today, Saturday and into Sunday morning.

"It's very heavy rain, but it will be relentless for a particularly long period of time.

"There is that amber area, it goes from the western half of the central belt through up into the Highlands.

"There are communities there where we have quite significant concerns."

Cars were travelling through flood water on one road outside Glasgow.

• ScotRail has cancelled services from Oban, Mallaig and Fort William, from Helensburgh Central and on the Highland Mainline between Perth and Inverness.

• Avanti West Coast said they would not run cross-border trains to Scotland on Saturday, with no services north of Preston.
• There will be no London North Eastern Railway (LNER) services running north of Newcastle.
• TransPennine advised customers not to travel on trains from Manchester, Liverpool and Preston to Carlisle, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Good morning and welcome to coverage of the disruption being caused due to a spell of persistent rain on the west coast of Scotland.

The Met Office said areas of the Highlands and central Scotland could see up to 180mm (7in) of rain - a month's worth in less than 24 hours.