Caithness drivers urged to watch out for hazards after damaging gusts
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Motorists are being urged to watch out for hazards such as fallen branches in the wake of the damaging gusts that have swept across Caithness today.
Wick weather watcher Keith Banks said "thoroughly miserable" conditions had been an unavoidable feature of Tuesday across the far north.
"During the early part of the afternoon, a boisterous force seven west-north-west wind, associated with a deep depression that is centred off the Norwegian coast, increased to gale force eight," he said. "There have been lots of damaging gusts in the storm force 10 category (55mph-63mph).
"However, the highest gust recorded so far today in Wick was a notable 66 mph / 57.4 knots – that's violent storm 11 on the Beaufort scale.
"The wind will moderate only gradually during the remainder of this afternoon and into the evening as it veers into the north-west.
"Ambient temperatures today in the town have been in the range 3C to 4C (37.4F-39.2F). However, add on the strength of the gale-force wind that has been sourcing air from the Arctic and it has felt more like a numbing minus 5.0C (23.0F).
"Motorists should be vigilant for significant hazards, such as fallen branches, and icy patches are likely to develop on untreated surfaces by dawn tomorrow."
