Elected Member Briefing - Further update on weather situation, 31.12.24

About this Briefing Note

Report by: Scott Walker - Strategic Lead, Finance and Business Support

EMBN Number: 120-24

Date: 31 December 2024

Subject: Further update on weather situation, 31.12.24

Details

Purpose

To provide a further update on the impact of current weather conditions, alongside weather warnings issued by the Met Office, and flood information from SEPA. 

Briefing Information

Background

Overnight the Council received no reports of flooding, and peak flows were around half of what had been predicted, around 575 cumecs. One request was received for sandbags in Fossoway - Roads Maintenance Partnership (RMP) were arranging delivery. 

The latest update from SEPA this morning is for peak flow on the Tay of 1172 cumecs at 7.45pm tonight. Most river gauges are continuing to rise. 

Flood warnings remain in place, with a total of 33 flood warnings issued by SEPA around Scotland - Tayside remains on flood alert with currently 13 flood warnings in place, all in Perth and Kinross: 

• Innerpeffray to Bridge of Earn

• Carse of Lennoch to Lochlane 

• Upper Tay 

• Pitlochry to Ballinluig 

• The River Tummel in Pitlochry 

• Ballinluig to Logierait 

• Caputh to Kinclaven 

• Logierait to Jubilee Bridge 

• Glen Lyon 

• Crieff to Innerpeffray 

• Dalguise 

• The River Isla at Coupar Angus 

• Kemphill to Bridge of Isla 

All of these warnings say flooding is likely on low-lying ground, including agricultural ground. 

The main area of concern at present is the Tummel in Pitlochry where the river level has risen 1.5m in 6 hours. 
 
The Met Office medium impact Yellow Warning for rain and snow has been updated this morning reducing its extents to the Highlands and Moray only, with the heavy rain forecast to cease in the majority of mainland Scotland today.  

There are no plans currently for a further Incident Management Team (IMT) meeting today, however senior staff from all services will continue regular dialogue about the situation, and all services remain ready to respond to any disruption through the public holiday period. Additional IMT meetings will be held if and when required. 

Community Resilience Groups

Aberfeldy CRG contacted the Council this morning - the river has had a small burst where it meets the burn however the group are not unduly concerned and have not requested support. The RMP will check in on the location en route to dealing with a road defect today.  

Flood scheme update

The flood gates at Friarton Road and Perth Harbour were opened this morning to allow deliveries into businesses. RMP staff have been manning those gates.   

This morning the Craigie Burn is being monitored and trash screens are being cleared again.  

The flood barriers have been installed at the Tay Street promontory this morning as a precautionary measure.  

A fault with the alarms system at Weem Pumping Station has been identified and while repairs to the system will not be possible before 6 January, arrangements have been made to deactivate the alarms and ensure water levels can continue to be monitored. 

Further information

We are continuing to monitor the weather forecast. A further briefing note will be issued if there are any significant changes to the weather/impact forecasts.