'100mph winds' close schools in Scotland

Schools in many parts of Scotland were shut today as the country braced itself for hurricane-force winds.

Eight local authorities closed all their schools early this morning, while at least six more said schools would shut at lunchtime.

Winds of up to 100mph have been forecast, with the strongest gusts expected to hit the west of Scotland and the central belt from 12pm, and from 3pm in the east, hitting rush-hour traffic.

No school in Glasgow – Scotland’s biggest local authority – will open today.

East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, North Lanarkshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire councils also said all there schools were closed.

The Government warned that travel conditions could be “dangerous” and road users may experience severe delays of several hours or more.

Key travel routes are likely to be closed and severe gales could lead police to advise against all travel, the Scottish Government said.

Although Scotland will bear the brunt of the bad weather, other parts of the UK could also be affected by strong winds.

Lindsay Dovey, a forecaster with MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: “There will be gusts of 100mph in north west Scotland and over high ground.

“Gusts of up to 70mph are expected in northern England and north west Wales.

“Across central England and East Anglia, we’ll have gusts of 55 to 60mph, and up to 55mph in the south of the UK.”

She said temperatures would range between 7C, in Scotland, and 13C, in the south of Britain, but added: “It will feel much colder because of the wind.”