Elected Member Briefing - Adverse weather update, 21 January 2024, 11.30pm

About this Briefing Note

Report by: Mary Willis, Communications and Design Co-ordinator

EMBN Number: 005-24

Date: 21 January 2024

Subject: Adverse weather update, 21 January 2024, 11.30pm

Responsible Officer: Barbara Renton, Executive Director (Communities)

Details

Purpose

This Briefing Note provides an update to Elected Members on current impact as a result of Storm Isha in Perth and Kinross.

Update

The Met Office have continued with the amber warning for high winds until 6am tomorrow morning. It is anticipated that the wind will worsen after midnight across the area.  Despite suggestions in media reports of a potential tornado impact across Perth and Kinross and other parts of Tayside, this has been deemed unlikely and anticipated instead to be much further south. 

There is the existing yellow weather warning for rain from 3pm until 11.59pm today. However, it is anticipated the rain will ease before the end of the warning period.  

A yellow wind warning for all of Scotland except the Shetland Islands will be in place from 4pm on Tuesday to 12noon on Wednesday. Further information is available from the Met Office website.   

Flooding

Currently there are 6 flood warnings for the Council area, and generally these are agricultural in nature.  SEPA have advised that there is more snow melt in the system than previously predicted.  However, the predictions of the Tay currently sit within the normal parameters for winter weather. 
 
The flood gates on the South Inch remain closed following the yellow weather warning earlier this week.  

As noted earlier, the North Inch gates were closed this afternoon, with a team attending the Harbour area tomorrow morning to monitor the situation there. 

Officers attended Dunkeld this evening following reports from the emerging Community Resilience Group about some flooding concerns.  Gullies are taking in water as they should, and sandbags were positioned to ensure any build up goes into the large gullies in the car park. 

There is an agricultural flood warning for Aberfeldy which could impact on the golf course and the caravan park, which is closed for the winter.  The Community Resilience Group has been contacted and are monitoring the situation.  They will contact officers if there is any risk to other properties. 

Trees

There have been some road closures as a result of fallen trees - Tulloch Road, Perth and the A822 around 2 miles north of Braco are currently closed, with members of the community resolving an issue at Rumbling Bridge.  An earlier lane blockage on the A90 at Longforgan has also been cleared.  

Overnight arrangements

Council officers remain on standby overnight, but health and safety issues will remain paramount. 

The Council continues to take a watching brief approach given that the worst of the weather being forecast is expected to occur overnight. Provision of school transport will be reviewed first thing tomorrow morning depending on the impact of the wind and rain on local roads. 

Information was posted earlier on the Council's social media advising residents to be as prepared as possible; to travel with care on local roads bearing in mind the potential for fallen trees and other debris, and that fallen trees will not be attended to by our staff to during the hours of darkness, for health and safety reasons. 

Further updates

A meeting of the IMT will take place tomorrow to review, and respond to, any impact from the weather overnight. We will provide any further updates as appropriate.