Schools shut, roads flooded and trains cancelled as thunderstorms batter north-east
More than a dozen schools across the north-east are closed today, on what should have been some pupils’ first day back after five months.
It comes as thunderstorms hit, causing flash flooding on roads across the region.
Flood Warnings have been issued in #Stonehaven and #Tayside. See https://t.co/5v90r5aVmg for more information. pic.twitter.com/sTzk55Nu98
— Scottish Environment Protection Agency (@ScottishEPA) August 12, 2020
A flood warning has been issued by SEPA for Stonehaven, with an alert in place for the rest of the north-east, and the Met Office issued an Amber level alert for most of Aberdeenshire.
At the storm’s peak, there were dozens of lightning strikes recorded in the north-east every minute, according to Lightningmaps.org.
Schools
SCHOOL UPDATE: A number of schools have been impacted by the weather. School staff are currently dealing with the situation and are contacting parents/guardians via Groupcall. For the latest updates on schools affected visit https://t.co/AVuAATFink
— Aberdeen City Council (@AberdeenCC) August 12, 2020
In Aberdeenshire, Mearns, Mackie and Portlethen academies are all closed, with Alford reporting delays to transport.
Primary schools in Stonehaven, including Dunnottar and Mill O’ Forest, are also shut.
A full list of affected schools in Aberdeenshire can be found here.
In Aberdeen Fernielea, Broomhill, Milltimber and Kittybrewster schools, along with Harlaw Academy are also shut today.
A full list of affected schools in Aberdeen can be found here.
Roads and Travel
ROADS UPDATE: A number of rain covers and manhole covers have been displaced across the city by the force of water during the current thunderstorm. The council’s roads team are dealing with the issue.
— Aberdeen City Council (@AberdeenCC) August 12, 2020
Council teams across both Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire are responding, along with emergency services, to reports of burst manhole covers and flooded drains.
Dramatic footage posted on social media show fountains of water shooting out of the road in places including Garthdee and Stonehaven.
A new fountain for Stonehaven pic.twitter.com/yCT9fwcH3X
— Foodie Quine 🏴 Claire Jessiman (@foodiequine) August 12, 2020
In Aberdeen, roads around Garthdee, Holburn Street and Great Southern Road are all heavily flooded, with Polmuir Road and the entrance to Duthie Park also underwater.
Virginia Street is also reportedly only passable for larger vehicles.
#A956 Virginia Street❗️⛈
Impassable to cars in Both Directions, only just passable to larger vehicles. @originalfm @AberdeenCC #ABZTravel pic.twitter.com/SnAYxePywp
— Aberdeen Travel (@AberdeenTravel) August 12, 2020
Traffic Scotland also reported the area around the AWPR junction at Stonehaven was also flooded, however, this appears to have been cleared.
NEW❗️⌚️07:25#A90 @ARL_AWPR just north of the Stonehaven Roundabout is flooded and BLOCKED both ways.
Please #UseAltRoute at this time. #TakeCare @AberdeenTravel pic.twitter.com/YbxMWCION0
— Traffic Scotland (@trafficscotland) August 12, 2020
There are reports of flooding at Aberdeen Maternity Hospital, the airport and the Bristows helicopter terminal.
In Portlethen there is reports of flooding near the junction with the A92, with debris on the road due to the volume of water in the area.
Police are urging motorists to only make journeys if they are necessary after receiving a large number of calls due to the localised flooding.
We are currently receiving a large number of calls in relation to localised flooding across Aberdeen City and the Shire.
Please consider if your journey is necessary and if so, drive with extra care.
The weather conditions are very poor.
— NE Roads Updates (@PolScotRoadsNE) August 12, 2020
ScotRail has also warned of disruption this morning, with services to and from Aberdeen cancelled due to the weather.
UPDATE at 0830
⛔️ We're unable to run trains on these routes in either direction:
Edinburgh – Fife
Edinburgh – Glasgow Qn St via Falkirk High & Grahamston
Edinburgh/Glasgow – Dunblane
Edinburgh – West Calder
Aberdeen – Edinburgh/Glasgow
Aberdeen – Dyce
Inverness – Perth— ScotRail (@ScotRail) August 12, 2020
For the latest on the schools, flooding and weather, follow our live blog below

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