For all the problems I, the eternal cynic, have with ScotRail, the do not travel notice for the Central Belt in this case is fully justified. Not often both Edinburgh and Glasgow get hit this badly as it's usually - and obviously - only the latter that gets the worst of these Atlantic brutes barrelling in from the west (or least that's how it feels living in a flat on the foot of the Kilpatrick Hills whenever one hits). Could've put it out at least a day ago though, dithered just a bit too long. Refunds would've came thick and fast either way tho.
As for lines worst affected, anything west of Dalmuir and Paisley will be properly battered over the next 2 days; can see Bowling getting flooded yet again. I'd also keep an eye on Dalmarnock too, that has a history of flooding in events like this.
A family lunch in the West End with a aunt and uncle from down south that was planned for Saturday has been kiboshed thanks to this (they were meant to be driving up I think tomorrow, not risking it now given they drive a high-sided campervan), and I'll be hunkering down as much as I possibly can (will still need to walk the dog; fun times lie ahead).
It's bad luck when it affects individual plans but extreme weather events are on the rise, particularly in Autumn and Winter, so the possibility of inclement weather affecting a journey should be at the back of everyone's mind if they book advance tickets for train, coach, maritime or air journeys at this time of the year.
Of course, we've always have had the occasional extreme weather event (the rainfall that resulted in the Argyle Line flooding in December 1994 spring right to front of mind; that was a terrifying near miss to put it mildly), but by my casual observations, they've steadily been on the rise for over a decade now as climate change has accelerated. I think the national mentality of 'tis just a bit of wind/rain', fostered by our usually rather mild/temperate climate will take a long time to be shaken off, as evidenced every time one of these storms hit and the responses on threads like this one about the railway under or overreacting.
I can only remember one windstorm from early 2010 (I ended up finding out my high school was closed
after getting the bus down there. I hadn't gotten prior notice of the closure before anyone pops off at me for going out in it. Said storm was unflatteringly nicknamed Hurricane B**bag up here incidentally; pretty sure a few members here remember that one). Now I can barely keep track of the ones that have hit Glasgow in the past few months alone, there's been that many. This incoming one is a particularly violent brute though, so maybe it will stick in the national memory a bit longer like the Storm of '87 did. Who knows, just have to wait and see.
).
