Yellow weather warning issued for Hogmanay

A yellow weather warning for heavy rain has been issued for nearly all of Scotland on Hogmanay.

Forecasters warned the deluge of rain could bring "significant disruption" in the build up to Hogmanay.

The warning covers everywhere north of the border apart from Orkney and Shetland and will take effect on both 30 December and Hogmanay, with some areas potentially seeing 100-140mm of rain.

Snow could also cause disruption, especially in northern Scotland and over high ground, while strong winds are also possible.

50mm to 70mm of rain is possible in much of the country, while the higher totals are most likely over western Scotland.

However, the forecaster added there was "uncertainty" over what areas would be affected the most.

The Met Office stated: "Rain is likely to become persistent and occasionally heavy on Monday and possibly last through New Year's Eve.

"This may bring some significant disruption and flooding in the build up to new year events, although there is still a lot of uncertainty in which areas are likely to be affected."

The flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and travel disruption, while the forecaster added there is a small chance of fast-flowing or deep floodwater causing danger to life.

They also said there is a slight chance of power cuts and a small possibility that homes and businesses could be flooded.

The weather warning will be in force for the whole of Monday and Tuesday.

Weekend temperatures at the weekend will remain mild for the time of year including overnight, with little frost expected.

Met Office meteorologist Simon Partridge said: "As we head towards new year, particularly for New Year's Eve, it looks like there could be some wet and rather windy weather, particularly across Scotland, which is not ideal considering that's the place that really goes to town for New Year's Eve."

Crowds are expected to gather in Edinburgh for New Year's Eve celebrations on 31 December and event organisers advised people to dress for all weathers and check social media for updates.

A spokesperson for Edinburgh's Hogmanay said: "We continue to work closely with Met Office and other agencies to monitor forecasts in the days leading up to Hogmanay.

"As always in Scotland, the forecasts are changing regularly and we are still a few days away, so we advise customers to stay up-to-date via our social channels and Met Office.

"For all Edinburgh's Hogmanay outdoor events, we recommend audiences dress appropriately for winter events in Scotland - prepare for all weather, wrap up warm and double-check with your travel operator for the latest updates."