Heavy rain warning upgraded to amber on Hogmanay

A weather warning for heavy rain on Hogmanay has been upgraded to amber in parts of Scotland.

A series of Met Office alerts for rain and snow had already been issued covering the entire country, running into New Year's Day.

The amber warning covers an area from Inverness to Fort William from midnight until 17:00 on Tuesday.

Environment agency Sepa has issued three severe flood warnings - meaning there is a danger to life - 26 warnings and 10 alerts.

The Highland main line was reopened shortly before 16:00 on Monday after being closed for most of the day due to rising water levels at Kingussie.

Edinburgh's Hogmanay outdoor events have been cancelled due to the weather.

Wind speeds on Sunday had already led to the cancellation of the city's Torchlight Procession, which had been due to kick off the city's Hogmanay events.

Organisers Unique Assembly then confirmed that Scotland's biggest Hogmanay celebration, which was to include a street party and concert, was not going ahead because of concerns over the weather.

Network Rail said water levels on the Gynack Burn at Kingussie on the Highland Main Line were too high to safely run trains on Monday morning.

The water level dropped in the afternoon, with Network Rail confirming the tracks had not been damaged.

An empty LNER train later inspected the line.

Network Rail confirmed it had reopened at 15:54, but warned "close monitoring" would continue during further rainfall tomorrow.

The weather has also brought disruption between Inverness and Glasgow Queen Street

The Crianlarich-Oban line was also closed due to flooding between Tyndrum Lower and Dalmally.

At the Lochy viaduct in Fort William, flooding around the River Lochy was also being monitored as it was nearing safety markers on the bridge.

Earlier, Glenfinnan Station was closed temporarily after flooding washed debris onto the tracks.

Network Rail also said a chainsaw team had removed a fallen tree that was hit by a train near Ardlui in Argyll.

Train operator ScotRail urged people to check their journeys before attempting travel during the disruption.

The Met Office yellow rain and snow warning extends from central Scotland to the north of the country, while a wind warning covers the south of the country on Hogmanay.

A yellow alert for snow has also been issued for Orkney and Shetland on Tuesday.

Forecasters said the weather warnings could lead to difficult driving conditions, disruption to public transport, power outages and homes being cut off.

The south of Scotland is expected to avoid the worst of the rain and snow, but will continue to be battered by high winds.

Transport Scotland said restrictions on use of some bridges may come into force over the next 24 hours.

Traffic Scotland operator manager, Douglas Cairns, said: "We are asking travellers to plan their journeys before setting off to ensure they reach their destination and celebrations in good time.

"If you are planning to travel by rail, air or ferry, stay in contact with your operator for the latest service information."

Justice Secretary Angela Constance is also due to lead a meeting of the Scottish government's resilience room later.

She said: "There is expected to be a significant amount of rainfall in the next 24 hours after a period of wet weather, raising the risks of travel disruption and flooding.

"New Year travellers are advised to plan ahead during this normally busy period and follow Police Scotland and Traffic Scotland advice on the roads."