London, January 29 (RHC)-- Storm Gertrude has been sweeping across Britain causing power cuts and travel disruption triggering a red weather warning.

Media reports say about 8,500 properties in Scotland are without electricity. Meanwhile, ScotRails has also announced a raft of train cancellations and reduced services for Friday with one in 10 services cancelled. Up to 3,000 homes are without power in Northern Ireland and a number of roads are closed because of fallen trees and flooding.

Storm Gertrude arrived on Thursday night from the Atlantic on a powerful jet stream. Almost 40 flood warnings have been put in place by the Scottish Environment Protecting Agency covering Ayrshire, Tayside, west central Scotland and the Highlands.

Conditions for next week are expected to remain changeable, especially in the north-west, with bands of rain interspersed by colder, showery conditions, with snow at times in the north. Temperatures should be near or slightly above average, though briefly dipping below average with some night frost in any colder periods.