There has already been major disruption across the rail network
Scotland’s rail network has ground to a halt as Storm Jocelyn sweeps into the country.
Winds of up to 70mph are expected, which ScotRail said could lead to trees and other debris falling onto tracks.
Services will remain off throughout Wednesday morning, including during rush hour for commuters, as the rail operator carries out safety checks.
Amber and yellow wind warnings are now in place, just days after Storm Isha caused major disruption across the UK.
An amber warning for wind came into force at 18:00 on Tuesday and will last until 08:00 on Wednesday. It covers the west coast of Scotland, Orkney and part of the north and north east.
There is also a yellow wind warning for wind currently in place that will last until noon on Wednesday.
ScotRail said each route would have to undergo a safety inspection before trains are able to operate, which means it would be later on Wednesday before services could run.
It said trains that depart before 19:00 would complete their journey, but no services would begin their journeys after this time and there would be no services on Wednesday morning.
Scores of services were already cancelled before the 7pm deadline came into effect.
Storm Jocelyn will bring strong winds and rain to Scotland
ScotRail said each route would have to undergo a safety inspection before trains are able to operate, which means it would be later on Wednesday before services could run.
Phil Campbell, ScotRail’s customer operations director, told the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme that the operator had no choice but to close the network again on Tuesday evening because of the high winds forecast.
“Although the winds will be slightly less potent with Storm Jocelyn, our weather experts tell us it will be sufficient enough to bring down trees and more debris on the line,” he said.
“Closing the network from 19:00 tonight through the rush hour tomorrow is simply to make sure our customers and staff are made safe and also to give some certainty about what’s running and what’s not”.
He urged customers to check online for the most up-to-date information. Any tickets dated from 20 January will be valid until 26 January.
Asked why a full network closure was needed when the high wind forecast for Storm Jocelyn was more localised, he said the previous storm had reduced the resilience of the network and the saturated ground meant there was a wider risk of falling trees.
Image source, PA Media
This tree fell on an electricity substation on the Kinnaird estate in Larbert during Storm Isha
Image source, Network Rail Scotland
This tree fell onto tracks at Arrochar & Tarbert
LNER had advised passengers not to travel north of Newcastle after 15:00.
A number of ferry services have also been cancelled by CalMac and it warned that others may be subject to disruption at short notice.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) has 21 flood warnings and 14 alerts in place.
It comes after thousands of people were left without power. SSEN said supplies had been restored to about 37,000 customers by Tuesday afternoon, with just 370 properties still without power.
The company said it had more than 400 field staff deployed in the north of Scotland network area in response to Storm Isha – about five times the staffing levels on a “business as usual” day.
SP Energy Networks said it had restored power to 65,000 customers in central and Southern Scotland, with 1,500 still waiting to be reconnected.
Footage from across Scotland shows the damage wreaked by Storm Isha.
A rare red danger to life warning had been issued by the Met Office for north east Scotland on Sunday night.
An 84-year-old man died in Grangemouth after a car he was travelling in hit a fallen tree.
Gusts of 84mph were recorded by the Met Office n the village of Salsburgh, North Lanarkshire, 81mph (130 km/h) in Kirkwall on Orkney and 80mph (129km/h) in Wick in the Highlands.
Parts of central and southern Scotland had their highest wind gusts in more than 10 years, with Glasgow and Edinburgh both recording their strongest gusts since 5 December 2013.
Jocelyn is the 10th named storm to hit the UK since September.
