A FLOOD alert has been issued for Helensburgh today, with heavy rain set to batter large parts of the country. 

A yellow weather warning has been issued by the Met Office for torrential showers in many areas from 1pm to 9pm on Tuesday.

And the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has now raised the alarm over the potential for flooding.

Helensburgh Advertiser: Flooding in Perth last weekFlooding in Perth last week

The alert reads: “Heavy and thundery showers on Tuesday may cause some flooding impacts from surface water within this area.

“Flooding from small watercourses to low lying areas may also occur.

“The greatest risk is to the east of the area during Tuesday afternoon, and if the heaviest showers fall over built up areas prone to flooding, small watercourses or transport networks.”

SEPA's flood alert covers the whole of Argyll and Bute, including Helensburgh, and warns that the greatest risk of flooding in Argyll and Bute is in the east of the area.

Both SEPA and the Met Office have warned of significant travel disruption, with flooding affecting properties, communities and key infrastructure.

Helensburgh Advertiser: looding at Queen Victoria Hospital car park, in Kirkcaldy, Fifelooding at Queen Victoria Hospital car park, in Kirkcaldy, Fife

BEAR Scotland has announced that because of the weather forecast the A83 diversion route near the Rest and Be Thankful, known as the Old Military Road, will close at 12 noon on Tuesday.

The trunk road maintenance company says the forecast indicates sporadic heavy bursts of showers of up to 30mm of rain which have the potential to affect the Rest and Be Thankful.

Traffic will be diverted via the standard alternative route - the A82, A85 and A819 - adding more than 50 miles to journeys between the Helensburgh and Lomond area and much of Argyll.

Western Ferries' Dunoon-Gourock service is also available as a diversionary option.

The rain and flood warnings come after the devastating ScotRail crash in Stonehaven last week, where three people were killed after the carriages derailed following a landslip in Aberdeenshire.

This is before the potential arrival of tropical Storm Kyle, which is poised to run riot across the UK bringing high wind gusts later this week.

Some forecasters are predicting a four-day battering by the 900-mile storm, currently making its way across the Atlantic. 

Netweather forecaster Paul Michaelwaite told the Mirror said: “Energy from the remnants of tropical storm Kyle will merge an unseasonably deep low approaching the UK from Wednesday, with effects felt right through into next weekend.

“There will be strong winds, longer spells of rain and heavy, blustery showers.”

Areas listed on the flood alert:

  • Argyll and Bute
  • Ayrshire and Arran
  • Caithness and Sutherland
  • Central
  • Dumfries and Galloway
  • Easter Ross and Great Glen
  • Edinburgh and Lothians
  • Fife
  • Findhorn, Nairn, Moray and Speyside
  • Scottish Borders
  • Skye and Lochaber
  • Tayside
  • West Central Scotland
  • Wester Ross

Full flood alert info can be found on the SEPA website here.