Unpredictable

Rail services across Scotland have been cancelled as part of preparations for Storm Dudley.

ScotRail confirmed some train journeys would cease from 16:00 on Wednesday When the worst of The Storm is expected.

It coincides with a Met Office amber warning for wind which is in place until midnight, affecting parts of Scotland , England and Northern Ireland .

The Scottish Government has warned of disruption across Public Transport .

Storm Dudley has been forecast to bring inland winds potentially gusting to 80mph and up to 90mph on exposed coasts and hills.

National Highways, the Government Agency which maintains roads in England, has urged motorists in the affected area to only travel if " absolutely necessary".

Police Scotland also said there was a " high risk" Of Travel disruption.

ScotRail said its services on the Far North , Kyle of Lochalsh, and Aberdeen-Inverness lines would continue to run on Wednesday afternoon.

Some cross-border services will operate too at reduced speeds, it added.

Liam Sumpter, Network Rail route director for Scotland , said The Storm had the potential to cause " significant disruption" to infrastructure, including blowing trees onto tracks and damaging equipment.

He Said : " We will be working hard on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning to respond to any issues caused by Storm Dudley and will reintroduce services as soon as lines are inspected for damage and We Are sure it is safe to do so. "

CalMac said there would be no ferry sailings later on Wednesday due to The Weather , but the timetable would be adjusted as more forecasts became available.

Manging director Robbie Drummond said they expected waves of up to 12 metres (39ft) around the Hebrides - which He Said was the " height of three-storey building".

He added: " Our team will be working closely with local communities to understand their priorities and also ensure essential goods and services are moved where possible. "

The Scottish Government said the Transport Scotland resilience room and the multi-agency response team would be active for the duration of the amber warning.

It added that it was receiving regular updates from the Met Office and Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: " High winds may cause issues on roads and bridges, disruption to power supplies and danger from falling trees.

" We would urge everyone to plan their journeys in advance, exercise caution on The Roads , and follow the latest travel advice.

" Other transport services are likely to be affected, so if you are planning to travel by train, ferry or air, please check with your operator to make sure your service is still running. "

Meanwhile Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN), which supplies power in the north of Scotland , said it was preparing for potential damage to The Network .

It said it was on, and was bringing more engineers in to help deal with any power cuts.

There is an increased risk of flooding in coastal areas, particularly along the Firth of Clyde, according to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa).

People living and walking in coastal areas have been urged to be extra careful due to The Risk of flooding, particularly along The First of Clyde.

Pascal Lardet, Sepa's flood warning duty manager, told The Bbc : " We just want people not to take unnecessary risks.

" Very large waves can be Unpredictable - When they will hit, they may submerge the area where you stand, it can project debris and stones. In The Past there has been casualties so we don't want that to happen. "

The amber warning covers central and southern Scotland , north east and north west England and Northern Ireland .

The cities of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Newcastle and York are covered by The Warning . It also includes parts of Argyll and Bute, Fife, Dumfries and Galloway, Scottish Borders, Cumbria and County Antrim .

The Met Office has also issued for high winds for parts of Scotland , the north of England and Northern Ireland during Storm Dudley. It covers from 15:00 on Wednesday to 18:00 on Thursday.

A second Storm - Storm Eunice - is expected to bring strong winds across southern Scotland and also parts of England, Wales and Northern Ireland on Friday. Snow has also been forecast for parts of Scotland .

has been issued for Storm Eunice .

Last month Storms Malik and Corrie caused power cuts and.

There was major disruption to rail services between Edinburgh and Newcastle and several schools in Aberdeenshire, the Highlands and Moray were closed due to Storm Damage or power outages.

Areas in the north of Scotland were among the worst hit by power cuts and damage during Storm Arwen in November.

Forestry and Land Scotland said it was still clearing up damage to forestry caused by Storm Arwen and Storm Malik.

The Public body said people should avoid woodland and forestry areas during This Week 's storms.

The RNLI warned adverse weather conditions could make seas " treacherous" and urged people to take extra care in coastal areas.

Source of news: bbc.com