Met Office extends red warning into Saturday for east Scotland
The Met Office has issued a new red warning for all day Saturday.
The initial warning was due to expire at noon on Friday, but a new warning is in place for Saturday, from midnight to midnight. It covers Angus county and much of the area between Dundee and Aberdeen.
A red warning means there is danger to life from fast flowing or deep flood water, extensive flooding to homes and businesses, collapsed or damaged buildings or structures, road closures and bus and train service delays and cancellations, dangerous driving conditions because of spray and flooded roads, loss of power and other essential services, such as gas, water and mobile phone service and communities completely cut off, perhaps for several days.
The Met Office said:
Prolonged and very heavy rain is expected to develop across parts of Angus and Aberdeenshire area throughout Saturday, in areas already affected by severe flooding.
Accumulations of 70-100mm are expected over a period of 18-24 hours, the highest accumulations over the hills.
Less rainfall is expected around coastal areas, but impacts from the higher rainfall further west will extend towards the coast.
Amber warnings are also in place for Saturday for much of east Scotland.
Key events
Met Office analysis suggests that the UK has become wetter over the last few decades, although with significant annual variation.
For example, 2011-2020 was 9% wetter than 1961-1990. From the start of the observational record in 1862, six of the 10 wettest years across the UK have occurred since 1998.
Scotland has experienced the greatest increase in rainfall, while most southern and eastern areas of England have experienced the least change.
The number of days where rainfall totals exceed 95% and 99% of the 1961-1990 average have increased in the last decade, as have rainfall events exceeding 50 mm. Both these trends point to an increase in frequency and intensity of rainfall across the UK.
Because current trends in extreme rainfall are within past natural variation, it can be difficult to isolate effects from climate change. A study using high-resolution climate models predicts that the influence of human-caused climate change is not likely to be seen clearly in short-duration (hourly and shorter timescale) extreme rainfall trends in the UK until at least the 2040s for winter and 2080s for summer.
The latest set of UK climate projections expect the UK to experience wetter winters and drier summers. Rain that falls in summer is likely to be more intense than what the UK currently experiences.
An increase in severe flooding is not necessarily a certainty by the end of the century, the forecaster predicts, and can be mitigated by significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and using a combination of natural and human-made barriers.
Brechin and other parts of Angus are now only accessible by boat, according to the council.
BBC reports:
In an update this morning, the local authority said it had been a “very challenging night”.
It confirmed Brechin’s flood defences were breached around 04am and said at current flood heights “gauges have become unreliable”.
The council said more than 350 homes across Angus were contacted yesterday and advised to evacuate.
A spokesperson said:
We ask that if you are in danger of flooding, please don’t leave it too late. If asked to evacuate, please do so, as hard as it is.
The council say emergency centres in Brechin, Montrose and Forfar are open to all those in need in Angus. Pets are welcome, too.
The PA news agency has been speaking to residents affected by the flooding:
Terri Masson, 33, had moved into her new home in Meikle Mill, in Brechin, only on Thursday when she was told by the council she would have to leave at 4.30pm.
While her home has not been hit by the flooding, it is one of hundreds in the evacuation zone. The mother of five asked friends from Montrose to come and collect her from the town.
She said:
I moved in yesterday and was in not even two hours and got told to evacuate. I hadn’t even unpacked my stuff, nothing. I had just started to unpack and they came to the door and they were like ‘you have to go’. We left about quarter past five.
I knew Brechin could flood when the weather is bad, but I’ve never been in the middle of something like this. It was scary for the kids – we got out as quick as we could.
Second person dies in Angus during Storm Babet
A second person has died as Storm Babet brings high winds, torrential rain and severe flooding to parts of Scotland.
BBC reports:
Police have confirmed that a falling tree hit a van near Forfar in Angus on Thursday evening, killing the 56-year-old driver.
Emergency services attended the scene on the B0127 at Whigstreet at about 5.05pm.
Officers said the man, who has not been named, was pronounced dead at the scene and the road remains closed.
Earlier, the body of a 57-year-old woman swept into a river in Angus was recovered on Thursday.
Met Office extends red warning into Saturday for east Scotland
The Met Office has issued a new red warning for all day Saturday.
The initial warning was due to expire at noon on Friday, but a new warning is in place for Saturday, from midnight to midnight. It covers Angus county and much of the area between Dundee and Aberdeen.
A red warning means there is danger to life from fast flowing or deep flood water, extensive flooding to homes and businesses, collapsed or damaged buildings or structures, road closures and bus and train service delays and cancellations, dangerous driving conditions because of spray and flooded roads, loss of power and other essential services, such as gas, water and mobile phone service and communities completely cut off, perhaps for several days.
The Met Office said:
Prolonged and very heavy rain is expected to develop across parts of Angus and Aberdeenshire area throughout Saturday, in areas already affected by severe flooding.
Accumulations of 70-100mm are expected over a period of 18-24 hours, the highest accumulations over the hills.
Less rainfall is expected around coastal areas, but impacts from the higher rainfall further west will extend towards the coast.
Amber warnings are also in place for Saturday for much of east Scotland.
The Met Office has posted the latest rainfall totals since midnight on the 19th on X.
Waterside Perth comes out top, with 1.64cm of rain.
The record for Scotland is 23.8cm of rain was measured at Sloy Main Adit in Argyll & Bute between 9am on 17 January 1974 and 9am the next day.
Here are some of the latest images from Brechin, where flood water reached window-sill height this morning and emergency services are rescuing people stuck in their homes.
Aberdeenshire council has confirmed that supplies of sandbags have been “depleted” and will not be replenished.
A spokesperson for the council urged residents not to go to any road depots for sandbags as crews were focused on providing “direct support” in communities.
The local authority also confirmed rest centres would continue to stay open in Inverurie, Kemnay and Kintore. They urged residents not to travel unless it was “absolutely essential”.
A video from a river webcam posted on X shows the impact of Storm Babet on the rapidly rising North Esk River over the past 18 hours:
The latest live flooding information from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency says there are five severe flood warnings, 16 flood warnings, and 12 flood alerts in place across the east of Scotland and Orkney.
The severe flood warnings, meaning there is a danger to life, are in Marykirk in Aberdeenshire and Logie Mill and Craigo, Kinnaird/Bridge of Dun, Finavon and Tannadice and Brechin, all in Angus council.
Local residents have been posting videos on X to demonstrate the power of Storm Babet.
One commenter posted a video in which he kicks a football into the air, only for it to be returned by the force of the wind:
Another video depicts a train station in the Midlands:
Another says is showing waves estimated at 7m high in Tynemouth:
The PA news agency has been speaking to Brechin residents in the rest centre.
Tracy Taylor left her home in Middleton Park, close to the river Esk, at 7am on Friday when its banks burst.
She said:
It is bad down there. We’ve been here since seven o’clock.
Taylor said there were “a lot” of other people in the rest centre.
When asked if she and her family had decided to leave their home or if they were evacuated, Taylor said “it was a bit of both”, adding they were worried about what would happen to their home.
Parts of Angus county only accessible by boat
Parts of Angus county are now only accessible by boat after flooding, according to Angus council.
A spokesperson for the council told the PA news agency:
Over 350 homes across Angus were contacted yesterday and advised to evacuate. Brechin, and increasingly other parts of Angus, are now only accessible via boat.
Rescue crews are now dealing with over 100 calls from areas which were asked to evacuate yesterday evening.
Emergency rest centres in Brechin, Montrose and Forfar are open to all those in need in Angus, pets are welcome too.
We ask that anyone attending a rest centre brings with them all the supplies they need, along with sleeping bags and medication to last them over the weekend.
Angus Council is appealing for donations of warm clothing after more than 40 people arrived at its rest centres in soaked clothes.
There have been more than 100 calls for help after an area covering hundreds of homes was advised on Thursday to evacuate, with conditions expected to deteriorate into the weekend, PA reports.
The council said:
Angus is in the middle of a very serious emergency following a very challenging night.
Brechin defences were breached around 4am this morning.
River levels are around 4.4m above normal levels and continuing to increase as Storm Babet persists. This is completely unprecedented and at these heights, gauges have become unreliable.
The Met Office red weather warning remains in place until 12pm today (Friday 20 October) with rain expected to fall well into Saturday.
We expect conditions to deteriorate well into the weekend before we are able to determine the extent of the damage and begin recovery following Storm Babet.
With waters in the Scottish town of Brechin still rising, a local councillor has warned that some people may not be back in flooded homes by Christmas.
PA reports:
Gavin Nicol said the town’s flood barriers are 3.8m high but the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) has warned the water could reach 5m. Angus council has said the South Esk river is 4.4 metres higher than usual.
He said:
With the amount of rain we’re getting it might even supersede that. It’s just a disaster. The water is not going down, it is still rising.
My thoughts go out to those affected. With this time of year, it’s coming up to Christmas, and some people might not even get back in their homes by then.
Nicol, Conservative representative for the Brechin and Edzell Ward on Angus council, said high tide at around 5pm on Friday could pose a particular problem.
He added that the flooding in Brechin is far worse than previous times:
The water is sitting at windowsill-height currently – with floods in the past we’ve just been ankle-deep in water, if that.
He said since around 6am rescue teams, including the police, coastguard and fire service, have been helping people from their flooded homes by boat. They are also rescuing upstairs residents who are stuck with no power and in some cases no working toilets.
There’s one or two cars floating about.
These houses will not be habitable in the near future. It’s not just water – there’s sewage as well.
Rachel Hall
Good morning,
After eastern Scotland was ravaged by Storm Babet yesterday, it looks set to be another difficult day for rescue services.
A search involving a helicopter is being carried out in Aberdeenshire after reports of a man trapped in his vehicle during flooding. The coastguard and police are searching an area near Marykirk, which is near the North Esk river, after the alarm was raised around 3am on Friday. Police Scotland are asking the public to avoid the area for their safety.
Our latest report on the fifth severe flood warning to be issued Scotland, and the first confirmed fatality, is here:
There is also disruption in the Midlands, the north-east of England, and north Wales where a Met Office amber warning is in place.
National Rail Enquiries says:
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All train services are disrupted in north-east England and Yorkshire because of severe weather.
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Some lines are blocked between Sheffield and Lincoln due to flooding.
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Trains are unable to call at Rotherham.
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A speed restriction because of high winds is also in place between Newcastle and Edinburgh, causing delays.
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All lines are affected between Worcester Foregate Street and Stratford-upon-Avon, between Birmingham New Street and Cheltenham Spa, and between Longbridge and Bromsgrove
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The railway is blocked between Walsall and Rugeley Trent Valley, and between Hereford and Shrewsbury.
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Some lines are closed between Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton.
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Speed restrictions are in place between Birmingham International and Coventry.
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The railway between Sheffield and Derby was blocked by a fallen tree earlier on Friday but has since reopened.
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Lines between north-west England and north Wales are closed due to flooding, including all lines between Chester and Crewe, between Wrexham Central and Bidston, and between Hooton and both Chester and Ellesmere Port.
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Some lines are also blocked between Crewe and Shrewsbury due to flooding.
We’ll be keeping you updated with all the key developments today. Please do get in touch with images or news from your local area – you can reach me on X or by email.
