Fresh Scotland rain warning as alerts cover country for 'danger to life' flooding

People all over Scotland have been braced for a prolonged period of 'persistent' rainfall and high winds which could wreak havoc on road travel and public transport.

Bringing an abrupt end to the warm and sunny weather over the weekend, the Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for rain lasting 30 hours and covering huge parts of the country including Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, the Highlands and the Borders.

A separate warning has also been issued for areas in the far west and north of the country today - meaning the majority of Scotland is under alert for downpours.

The adverse conditions could even pose a 'danger to life' from fast-flowing or deep floodwater, so it's important to be aware when the worst of the rainfall is set to hit and how to stay safe.

The Met Office's warning kicks off at 12pm today, lasting all the way until 6pm on Thursday May 23. This was echoed by meteorologist Clare Nasir, who warned that the rain this morning will start off strong in England before moving up here towards lunchtime.

Winds along the east coast will gradually start to pick up at around 10am which will push that band of rain up into southern Scotland by midday, before moving further into central and eastern areas.

In fact, the northern and eastern hilly areas are likely to see the heaviest rainfall, and there's even a chance that up to 100mm could fall within a 12-hour period.

The rain continues to persists throughout Wednesday afternoon, and further strong winds are expected to sweep in from both the western and eastern coasts at around 4pm. Clare warned of some potential problems on the roads, especially during rush hour, when surface water and flooding could create some difficult driving conditions.

This could also affect public transport journeys, such as rail, bus and ferry, so it's important to keep up to date and check your journeys before travelling.

5pm today is when the second alert will come into force, covering Argyll and Bute, Eilean Siar, Highland and Orkney until 10am on Thursday May 23.

The Met Office said: "An area of heavy rain is expected to move northwestwards across the warning area during late Wednesday afternoon and persist overnight into Thursday morning, before turning somewhat lighter and patchier."

During this time, flooding to a few homes and businesses is possible, as well as longer journey times than usual and potential power cuts.

On Thursday, May 23, the rain in Scotland will continue to batter down, especially in the far north and west during the early hours of the morning.

Throughout the day, it'll remain 'showery' for most of Scotland, as the warning is still in place. However, some 'brighter' spells are expected to push through any breaks in the rain in what will be a 'better' day than Wednesday.

It's worth remembering that the alert will not be removed until 6pm in the evening, so staying up to date with any Met Office advice is crucial.

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