Get ready for winter with five top tips

The Scottish Government's Ready for Winter campaign is encouraging people and communities to take simple steps to help prepare for, and cope with, winter weather.

Ready for Winter's top five tips for preparing for winter are: 

1. Register with the Met Office and Floodline for their free severe weather warning alerts to stay informed
2. Make sure you have emergency supplies at home such as a torch, non-perishable food, grit, essential medicines and emergency contact numbers
3. Pack a shovel, blanket, food and a warm drink in your car
4. Know how to turn off your water and electricity supplies
5. Swap telephone numbers with any neighbours who might be more vulnerable to severe weather and make sure you check on them if the weather turns nasty

The Ready for Winter campaign launched earlier this month and has been backed by STV weather forecaster Sean Batty.

Sean said:

"If there is one thing I’ve learned from delivering daily weather reports is the speed in which weather can change in Scotland.

"Our weather is very volatile, going from extremely mild and stormy to extremely cold and icy. The outlook for the next three months indicates that the risk of spells of windy or even stormy weather is expected to be greater than usual for the time of year but we could still see periods of ice and snow. 

"It’s important to take time to prepare for every weather eventuality so we’re ready and able to cope with whatever winter brings."

Two thirds of respondents to a recent survey admitted they could do more to be ready or are not prepared at all for winter. 

Keith Brown, Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities, said: 

"With the mild winters we’ve experienced in recent years, it does appear that some people are becoming increasingly relaxed about being prepared for severe weather. 

"However, we all know that Scottish winters can quickly bring cold snaps, storms, flooding and high winds all of which can affect people’s homes, those who are travelling, and those who are vulnerable, so there’s no room for complacency. 

"Being prepared for winter can make all the difference when severe weather strikes and this can be as simple as having a shovel and grit ready to keep any paths clear and keeping a scraper and de-icer in your car. It is important to remind people of the actions we can all take to get ready in the home, before a journey, at our place of work and in our communities."

Visit the Ready Scotland website for more information, follow @ReadyScotland on Twitter or check out the Ready Scotland Facebook page.