County braced for 80mph gales
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THE first significant winter weather of the season has caused disruption to travellers across the Far North.
And forecasters are warning that Caithness is once again set to be battered by gale-force winds, which could reach up to 80 mph towards the end of the week.
Heavy rain and gales on Friday gave way to colder weather. Snow and ice covered Caithness with temperatures dipping below zero for the first time this season.
Northern Constabulary reported that the A9 at the Causewaymire was affected by snow with many side roads in the region covered with ice during peak traffic hours.
Despite the hazardous conditions, it was reported that all roads remained open and there was only one accident which had occurred on Monday at 7.30am when a car left the road on the A9 one mile south of Thurso.
Police reported that they were not required to attend the scene as the motorist was able to get the car back on the road and was unhurt.
Ten gritters have been deployed in Caithness since last week, and staff have been treating icy roads in morning and evening shifts.
Community works manager Stuart Bell said that operations have been going according to plan with all roads being treated. “When there is snow, it is always a slow process to carry out the gritting operation, but we have been able to get around all roads in Caithness,” he said.
“Our staff have prioritised clearing the main routes as they are the busiest roads.
“It does slow down the process as a whole, but once these roads have been treated we then treat the lower-priority routes.”
He added: “There has been a few inches of snow but it has not been as severe as last year and hasn’t presented any problems to us.”
Service manager for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross Campbell Stewart said that parts of North Sutherland had seen up to six inches of snow, but he was happy with how clearing operations were proceeding.
“Our staff have been working from 6am to 9pm and we are laying 20 grams per square metre of salt as well as blading snow from the road.
“As a result of the work, all roads in the North region have been able to stay open.
“In difficult conditions we cannot leave priority-one and two roads until they have been treated, but once we are satisfied that is the case we will then treat school routes and smaller side roads.”
Travel services were also affected by adverse conditions. NorthLink Ferries cancelled sailings between Scrabster and Stromness on Saturday morning, with Pentland Ferries also cancelling crossings between Gills Bay and St Margaret’s Hope.
Flights from Wick Airport to Aberdeen and Edinburgh were also significantly delayed, as snow and ice on the runway prevented flights from leaving on time on Monday and Tuesday morning, but it was reported that no services were cancelled.
Severe gales of over 60 mph battered the area on Friday night. In Thurso the barriers at the site of the proposed new Tesco store at Ormlie Road collapsed.
In Wick, the Highland League match between Wick Academy and Lossiemouth was called off on Saturday morning at 8am due to a waterlogged pitch.
Met Office forecaster Dan Williams said that Caithness should not expect to see any more snow for the rest of the week, but advised that strong winds will return tomorrow and temperatures will remain cold.
He said: “The early signs are on Wednesday that despite there being little chance of snow, it will still remain bitterly cold with temperatures dropping to minus-two degrees with strong gales developing throughout the day.
“Temperatures will only reach a high of four degrees with prolonged spells of sleet and rain.
“Strong gale-force winds from the north-west will increase from Wednesday night into Thursday morning, possibly reaching up to as high as 80 mph.”
