Relive our updates from throughout the day as Courier Country was hit by the hurricane-force storm.
21.26 And with that we’ll wrap up this rolling coverage for tonight. Our thanks to everyone who helped by sending updates from their area. We have had reporters and photographers out throughout the day, and they will continue to monitor developments into the night. See Friday’s paper for unrivalled coverage of how the storm affected Tayside and Fife.
21.14Tay Road Bridge reopens to cars and single-decker buses. Still closed to pedestrians and all other traffic. www.tayroadbridge.co.uk/weather.html
20.48 TaysidePolice A9 South now open to all traffic. A9 North still closed.
20.20 ScotRail Edinburgh / Glenrothes local services are currently suspended.
20.08 Police saying the situation on the Tay Road Bridge is being reassessed at 9pm. Bridge remains closed to all traffic in the meantime.
19.59 A Tayside Police extreme weather update: www.tayside.police.uk
19.29 Tayside Police confirm Tay Road Bridge is still closed to all traffic.
19.04 PerthandKinross A9 closed north of Perth: the Council has set up a rest centre at Perth, North Inch Campus PH1 5BF.
19.01 forthroadbridge Forth Road Bridge has now reopened to CARS ONLY – winds are still very strong so please take care!
18.15 trafficscotland Severe gales to ease after 9pm this evening in Central belt. Grampian, N/E & Highlands expected to ease after 2am tomorrow morning.
17.42 TaysidePolice Power is down in the Aberfeldy and Pitlochry areas. We are working with energy providers to restore power.
17.39 Ian Hunt tells us on Facebook: “Loading out a lorry in Dunsinane. Wind gusting. Struggled to get curtain open. Driver hit by it. Forklift nearly went over. Now inside with a cuppy.” Sounds like a plan.
17.34 AngusCouncil “UPDATE: Broomhill Drive in Monifieth has been reopened – parks team were able to get out to clear the tree.” (Gold star to the parks team)
17.31 forthroadbridge Still experiencing very strong gusts – closely monitoring situation but bridge won’t open until at least 6pm.
17.31 FifeCouncil Plans for vital council services tomorrow: bit.ly/tRsEZc
17.29 That Cowdenbeath trampoline video gets a remix:
17.271fishwife on Twitter says: “Sending thanks to all @RNLI who are braving this terrible weather to help others, very brave people”. Hear! Hear!
17.17 We’re making extra space available in tomorrow’s paper for your storm pics. If you’ve always wanted your snaps to appear in The Courier (and who hasn’t!) here’s your chance. Send your best to news@thecourier.co.uk
17.10 A vivid account of the storm from Courier Facebook follower Vicki Salvage. Stay safe Vicki! “The Storm (Hurricane Bawbag!) is getting worse here on Braehead in St Monans – AND the lights have started flickering… Our house is tall, old and stone…and exposed to winds from all sides. We are also waiting to hear about friends Pam & Gordon….both caught separately on the other side of the Forth Bridge, so probably won’t get home as now all bridges to Fife seem to be closed. There’s a weird metalic noise coming from somewhere….and it’s freaking our dog Orla Borla out so much she doesn’t even want her dinner! Oh here we go again – the house is not just shaking…it’s actually SHUDDERING. The wind here is getting MUCH worse now – so I may just join Orla (our young Golden Retriever) and hide under the table for a while!!!”
17.05 Ayrshire man Stuart McMahon posts extraordinary photos of a wind turbine fire in Ardrossan www.flickr.com
16.56 ScotRail Train services between Edinburgh and Perth are being disrupted.
16.51 Lilian Kinmond on The Courier Facebook page reports: “Carnoustie high street closed both ways due to unsafe building!”
16.49 AngusCouncil Onsaburg Street, Forfar has been closed by police following reports of falling debris + Broomhill Drive in Monifieth ““ a tree is down so the road will be closed overnight.
16.47 TaysidePolice A9 closed in both directions between Dunkeld and Killiecrankie due to fallen trees.
16.42 We have staff out across Tayside and Fife reporting for tomorrow’s paper. If you have a story you want to share, phone us on 01382 575290 or email news@thecourier.co.uk.
16.39 Warning of problems at Auchterhouse Primary School that may run into tomorrow. Angus Council says there is a pylon failure affecting the village. It adds: “If power restored before midnight school will be open on Friday.” If not, it will be closed to pupils and staff asked to attend another school. Check www.angus.gov.uk/weather/knownschoolstatus.cfm for updates.
16.35 Corinne Mills reports on The Courier Facebook page: “no electric at Easter / Wester south of Kilmany – power lines down 🙁 ”
16.32 metofficestorms The area of strongest winds is likely to migrate towards N and NE Scotland this evening. Follow Met Office warnings: ow.ly/7T1ED
16.26 FifeCouncil All Fife schools are expected to open tomorrow as usual. The alert system will be used to inform parents about any school that has to close.
16.24PerthandKinross Schools and council services are expected to open as usual tomorrow, but keep checking the website for the latest updates.
16.21 forthroadbridge 86mph gusts just recorded at FRB – Met Office predicting strongest winds until 6pm then easing.
16.20 Glasgow Airport says: Due 2 severe storms, we R experiencing major delays & cxls at GLA_Airport. Please contact yr airline re: flights bit.ly/tEedYX
16.13 @remsie90 on Twitter posts a photo of the Clyde bursting its banks in Glasgow http://t.co/1bGATjaa
16.09 Tayside Police issue a weather update: http://t.co/oLihvObz
16.07 This video of a trampoline’s bid for freedom threatens to break the internet http://t.co/QIOI12GX
16.02 On Twitter, TV star Lorraine Kelly reveals: “At London city and flight has been called – waiting to board! #hurricanebawbag – you shall not defeat us!!”
15.56 On Facebook, Shirley Graham points out: “I think this lost have lost their instruments as the wind is currently 0mph!….www.sat.dundee.ac.uk/weather/
15.53 metoffice Maximum gust recorded at Cairngorm summit now 165mph (at a height of 1237m)
15.50 Health service update: NHSTayside says “No services or clinics have been cancelled and they continue to run across the area. For more information click here” tinyurl.com/bvq3yzm
15.46 nxdundee All National Express Dundee services are running as normal.
15.42 RPUTayside My advice to motorists unless absolutely dont travel until winds abate, risk of falling trees and lengthy delays.
15.40 RPUTayside A9 closed both directions Dunkeld due to fallen trees. Delays whilst these are removed. A9 n/bound Dalreoch down to one lane, A85 closed.
15.34 metofficestorms Cairn Gorm Summit latest wind gust 165 mph. Other gusts over 80 mph in exposed areas and over 60 mph in many other parts of Scotland.
15.31Jenny Green tells us on Facebook: “In dundee b/ferry n my fence just blew over.”
15.28 trafficscotland Killiecrankie – Weather. Due to fallen trees the southbound carriageway is closed. bit.ly/ta0EzQ
15.26 If you want to contact us with a story or send a photo, email news@thecourier.co.uk or phone 01382 575290.
15.24 trafficscotland A9 Blair Atholl – K’crankie – Closure. All lanes closed Southbound for up to 60 minutes. bit.ly/uyPnhY
15.20 Edinburgh Airport: We’re still experiencing delays and cancellations as a result of high winds. Check with airline before travelling bit.ly/j7nuGI
15.16 trafficscotland: Rest and be Thankful – Weather. Due to an overturned lorry the roadway is closed in both directions. bit.ly/swe8mJ
15.12 forthroadbridge: Long delays on M90 southbound
15.08 PerthandKinross: Pitlochry Area Housing Office is closed this afternoon due to a power cut.
14.29 Quick recap: the Forth and Tay road bridges have both been closed to all traffic since before noon. They are not expected to reopen before 6pm.
14.18 Forecasters predicted the peak of the storm would be between 3pm and 6pm. Claire Louise Locherty tells us on Facebook: “Stay half way up the Law and its really bad, was out in it not long ago and was very difficult walking against it, its making a right racket too x”