Met Office warning of thunderstorms and heavy rain

  • Published
LightningImage source, LuckyJim/BBC Weather Watchers
Image caption,

Lightning over Perth on Sunday

The Met Office has warned of large thunderstorms and heavy rain over most parts of Scotland during Monday.

The yellow "be aware" alert, external follows storms and downpours on Sunday.

In Inverness, Tesco's superstore at Inshes was evacuated after water came down through the ceiling, and a Vue Cinema was also affected by rain.

The warning is in place until midnight and includes a forecast of 20-30 mm of rain possibly falling within an hour in a few places.

It applies to 29 of Scotland's 32 local authority areas with the exceptions of Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar.

Frequent lightning

The Met Office has also warned of up to 50 mm - about 2in - in three to six hours in some places. Hail and frequent lightning has also been forecast.

Energy company SSE recorded almost 1,400 lightning strikes over a 24-hour period in Scotland. It said there was minimal disruption to its network.

Image source, SSE
Image caption,

An SSE graphic showing lightning strikes on Sunday in and around the area it covers

A separate yellow warning for heavy rain, external has been issued from midnight to 10:00 on Tuesday for eastern and southern parts of Scotland, including Aberdeenshire, Angus, Fife, Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders.

The forecast is for 20 to 30 mm rain in some places and possible isolated rumbles of thunder.

The bad weather has affected some train services, with ScotRail warning of delays and alterations on services in Fife and LNER said its services between Edinburgh and Aberdeen were running at reduced speeds.

Network Rail Scotland said trains travelling between Crianlarich and Bridge of Orchy would be slowing down from 19:00 on Monday until 19:00 on Tuesday due to the forecast.

Image source, Craig Bradshaw
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Lightning with the island Aisla Craig in a picture by Craig Bradshaw

Image source, The gnome at the bottom of the garden
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Lighting in a photo taken from Bo'ness, Falkirk, on Sunday

Highland Council said a significant landslip on Sunday evening had closed a road in Sutherland.

The local authority said it could take days to remove between 200 to 300 tonnes of material washed down on to the single-track U2117 Duchally road at Glen Cassley.

The road serves Duchally Lodge and one other property, and the council said it was trying to confirm no-one was stuck on the other side of the landslip. It said so far there had been no calls for assistance received.

Highland Council said: "Local roads teams have visited and assessed the scene and are preparing plant machinery in preparation for the clear-up and remedial works."

It added the landslip happened about five miles into the glen.

Image source, Cazzalad1801/BBC Weather Watchers
Image caption,

Lightning lights up the sky over Glenrothes

Image source, Jennifer Stewart/BBC Weather Watchers
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Sunday's thunderstorms in a picture from Girvan by Jennifer Stewart

Image source, Elkamino/BBC Weather Watchers
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BBC Weather Watcher elkamino took this image of lightning over Stirling

Image source, Malaclete/BBC Weather Watchers
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BBC Weather Watcher Malaclete's image of an arcus cloud just before the storm hit Muir of Ord

Image source, Stewart Venters
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Stewart Venters, who took this image at 02:00 on Monday in Methil, said it was the "busiest" lightning storm he had seen in years