By . John Stevens and Rob Cooper . UPDATED: . 08:43 EST, 8 December 2011 . Hundreds of schools are closed in Scotland today as Britain is battered by winds at over 100mph. Snow is expected as far south as Birmingham as Arctic conditions sweep in across the country. London will experience gusts of up to 55mph, forecasters said. Today gusts of 113mph were recorded at Cairngorm, Scotland, on top of a mountain, reports said. High winds: The coast at Saltcoats in Ayrshire, Scotland, is battered by seawater as the coast is hit by gusts of up to 90mph today . Storm damage: A roof is torn off a house in Saltcoats, Ayrshire, today as high winds battered Scotland . I've got it covered, kind of: A woman struggles in high winds in Glasgow, Scotland, as the country braced itself for hurricane-force winds . The Scottish Government advised schools to stay closed and said the travel warning was 'unprecedented for high wind'. Motorists north of the border were . told to 'exercise extreme caution' and check conditions before . travelling. The Forth Bridge has been closed as a precaution. Weather forecasters said the low pressure over the Western Isles was causing strong winds as far south as Merseyside and north Wales. Coastal areas will be hardest hit by the westerly wind and gusts have already reached 54mph in Crosby, near Southport, and 56mph in Hawarden, Deeside. The wind speeds are expected at peak at about 65mph or higher later today. Stormy weather also battered northern England with heavy rainfall in Cumbria, widespread localised flooding and gale force winds of up to 70mph expected. The Environment Agency has issued seven flood alerts at different locations on 12 rivers and lakes in the county. One flood warning was also issued by the agency on the River Greta at Keswick due to rising water levels caused by heavy rain. Cumbria Police said they received a number of calls this morning from motorists who had become stuck in flood water in the south of the county. They included one driver who got stuck on the A591 near Ambleside which was temporarily closed due to flood water. Other motorists got their cars stuck in water on roads in Windermere, Troutbeck and Selside. Police in the county are urging motorists to take extra care and slow down because of hazardous surface water on many roads. In Scotland, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon today warned that the country will be hit by gales which are worse . than they have seen for 'many years'. She said: . 'The very latest information from the Met Office's chief forecaster . shows that we can expect very severe gales, at wind speeds not seen for . many years, across large parts of western, central and southern Scotland . throughout Thursday. Festive preparations: This 30ft Santa on the roof of a pub in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, has been left shaking in the wind today . 'On . the basis of the earlier red warning from the Met Office, some councils . had already taken the precaution of closing schools early to make sure . that parents can safely collect children before the most dangerous . weather and travel conditions arrive. 'In light of the latest forecast, and in . particular the timings which suggest the severe weather affecting the . west-central part of the country earlier than originally anticipated, . some of these closure timings may have to change. However, this morning she told the BBC that individual headteachers should decide for themselves whether to open today. Of Scotland's 32 local authorities, Aberdeen City Council, Angus Council, Dundee City Council, Scottish Borders Council, Shetland Islands Council and Orkney Islands Council have no plans to close schools today. All schools in nine local authorities have closed, with the rest expecting to shut their doors at 12pm. No schools in Glasgow - Scotland's biggest local authority - are open today. All classes at Glasgow and Strathclyde universities were cancelled, affecting thousands of students. East . Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, North Lanarkshire, South . Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire councils also said . all their schools were closed. The Met Office issued its strongest . warning – a red alert – for winds in Scotland and warned parts of . England and Wales to 'be aware'. Guidance related to red alerts suggests 'widespread structural damage' is likely. Roofs could be blown off, mobile homes overturned and power lines brought down. Forecasters also predict 'widespread transport disruption' due to roads blocked by fallen trees. Northern Ireland and Scotland will experience the highest winds, but other parts of the UK are likely to face gusts of up to 60mph and heavy bursts of rain. Across England, the Government issued its first winter health alert, telling hospitals to prepare to be busier than usual. A deepening Atlantic low pressure . system is bringing winds ranked at the maximum force of 12 on the . Beaufort scale, with gusts expected to blow vehicles sideways and cause . bridge closures. Stormy: Rough seas batter the famous beach front in Blackpool, Lancashire, today as Britain is hit by high winds . The storm is also sucking Arctic winds . south, bringing up to four inches of snow from tomorrow   across . western England as far south as Birmingham, with up to a foot on the . Scottish hills. Alison Richards of the Met Office . said: 'We do not issue red warnings lightly. That is why people need to . take heed of it and take appropriate action.' Southern and central Scotland are covered by the red alert for winds of up to 100mph for 24 hours from this morning. Northern England and the rest of . Scotland are on amber alert for 60mph winds, and a yellow  alert – . meaning 'be aware' – has been issued for the Midlands and north Wales. From tomorrow, blizzards, snowdrifts . and black ice on roads and pavements are also expected, with wind and . rain making it feel much colder across the UK. Met Office forecaster Dan Williams . said: ‘From this evening there is a snow . risk as far south as Birmingham – the furthest south that snow has been . forecast this winter. Fierce winds: Two walkers are covered in sea spray as they make their way along the sea front in Portsmouth, Hampshire . Rough seas batter the coast as a woman walks her dog this morning in Blackpool, north-west England . 'As the storm passes tomorrow, the back side of it brings cold . polar air and the snow risk, which is now through Friday as well as . Saturday. 'We have issued a level two [yellow] . alert in conjunction with the Department of Health to let vulnerable . people know about the cold weather and so health services can get their . resources ready. 'We will monitor how the situation . develops and, if it pans out as predicted, the alert could be upgraded . to level three [amber]. 'Saturday will have a frosty start with patchy road ice and wintry showers in the north. 'The south and east will be drier, . albeit cold, with wintry showers on hills in Scotland on Sunday  and . more very changeable weather to come.' This time last year, swathes of the . country was already covered in thick snow, causing hundreds of . schools to be closed, flights delayed and widespread chaos on the roads – . and forecasters are now warning of a potential repeat as conditions . will only get worse as the week goes on. Police across the . north of England and Scotland are warning motorists to take extra care. Night . temperatures will fall to sub-zero across many parts by tomorrow night, . bringing the risk of black ice  on Saturday. Stormy seas: A couple today walk along a wet and windy promenade in Blackpool, as Britain braces itself for winds of up to 100mph .
113mph gusts recorded at Cairngorm, Scotland on top of a mountain .
Hundreds of schools in Scotland told to close by Government as country is braced for high winds .
Travel warning 'unprecedented for high wind' north of the border .
London set to be battered by 55mph gusts .
Motorists stuck on flooded roads in southern Cumbria .
By . John Stevens and Rob Cooper . UPDATED: . 08:43 EST, 8 December 2011 . Hundreds of schools are closed in Scotland today as Britain is battered by winds at over 100mph. Snow is expected as far south as Birmingham as Arctic conditions sweep in across the country. London will experience gusts of up to 55mph, forecasters said. Today gusts of 113mph were recorded at Cairngorm, Scotland, on top of a mountain, reports said. High winds: The coast at Saltcoats in Ayrshire, Scotland, is battered by seawater as the coast is hit by gusts of up to 90mph today . Storm damage: A roof is torn off a house in Saltcoats, Ayrshire, today as high winds battered Scotland . I've got it covered, kind of: A woman struggles in high winds in Glasgow, Scotland, as the country braced itself for hurricane-force winds . The Scottish Government advised schools to stay closed and said the travel warning was 'unprecedented for high wind'. Motorists north of the border were . told to 'exercise extreme caution' and check conditions before . travelling. The Forth Bridge has been closed as a precaution. Weather forecasters said the low pressure over the Western Isles was causing strong winds as far south as Merseyside and north Wales. Coastal areas will be hardest hit by the westerly wind and gusts have already reached 54mph in Crosby, near Southport, and 56mph in Hawarden, Deeside. The wind speeds are expected at peak at about 65mph or higher later today. Stormy weather also battered northern England with heavy rainfall in Cumbria, widespread localised flooding and gale force winds of up to 70mph expected. The Environment Agency has issued seven flood alerts at different locations on 12 rivers and lakes in the county. One flood warning was also issued by the agency on the River Greta at Keswick due to rising water levels caused by heavy rain. Cumbria Police said they received a number of calls this morning from motorists who had become stuck in flood water in the south of the county. They included one driver who got stuck on the A591 near Ambleside which was temporarily closed due to flood water. Other motorists got their cars stuck in water on roads in Windermere, Troutbeck and Selside. Police in the county are urging motorists to take extra care and slow down because of hazardous surface water on many roads. In Scotland, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon today warned that the country will be hit by gales which are worse . than they have seen for 'many years'. She said: . 'The very latest information from the Met Office's chief forecaster . shows that we can expect very severe gales, at wind speeds not seen for . many years, across large parts of western, central and southern Scotland . throughout Thursday. Festive preparations: This 30ft Santa on the roof of a pub in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, has been left shaking in the wind today . 'On . the basis of the earlier red warning from the Met Office, some councils . had already taken the precaution of closing schools early to make sure . that parents can safely collect children before the most dangerous . weather and travel conditions arrive. 'In light of the latest forecast, and in . particular the timings which suggest the severe weather affecting the . west-central part of the country earlier than originally anticipated, . some of these closure timings may have to change. However, this morning she told the BBC that individual headteachers should decide for themselves whether to open today. Of Scotland's 32 local authorities, Aberdeen City Council, Angus Council, Dundee City Council, Scottish Borders Council, Shetland Islands Council and Orkney Islands Council have no plans to close schools today. All schools in nine local authorities have closed, with the rest expecting to shut their doors at 12pm. No schools in Glasgow - Scotland's biggest local authority - are open today. All classes at Glasgow and Strathclyde universities were cancelled, affecting thousands of students. East . Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, North Lanarkshire, South . Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire councils also said . all their schools were closed. The Met Office issued its strongest . warning – a red alert – for winds in Scotland and warned parts of . England and Wales to 'be aware'. Guidance related to red alerts suggests 'widespread structural damage' is likely. Roofs could be blown off, mobile homes overturned and power lines brought down. Forecasters also predict 'widespread transport disruption' due to roads blocked by fallen trees. Northern Ireland and Scotland will experience the highest winds, but other parts of the UK are likely to face gusts of up to 60mph and heavy bursts of rain. Across England, the Government issued its first winter health alert, telling hospitals to prepare to be busier than usual. A deepening Atlantic low pressure . system is bringing winds ranked at the maximum force of 12 on the . Beaufort scale, with gusts expected to blow vehicles sideways and cause . bridge closures. Stormy: Rough seas batter the famous beach front in Blackpool, Lancashire, today as Britain is hit by high winds . The storm is also sucking Arctic winds . south, bringing up to four inches of snow from tomorrow   across . western England as far south as Birmingham, with up to a foot on the . Scottish hills. Alison Richards of the Met Office . said: 'We do not issue red warnings lightly. That is why people need to . take heed of it and take appropriate action.' Southern and central Scotland are covered by the red alert for winds of up to 100mph for 24 hours from this morning. Northern England and the rest of . Scotland are on amber alert for 60mph winds, and a yellow  alert – . meaning 'be aware' – has been issued for the Midlands and north Wales. From tomorrow, blizzards, snowdrifts . and black ice on roads and pavements are also expected, with wind and . rain making it feel much colder across the UK. Met Office forecaster Dan Williams . said: ‘From this evening there is a snow . risk as far south as Birmingham – the furthest south that snow has been . forecast this winter. Fierce winds: Two walkers are covered in sea spray as they make their way along the sea front in Portsmouth, Hampshire . Rough seas batter the coast as a woman walks her dog this morning in Blackpool, north-west England . 'As the storm passes tomorrow, the back side of it brings cold . polar air and the snow risk, which is now through Friday as well as . Saturday. 'We have issued a level two [yellow] . alert in conjunction with the Department of Health to let vulnerable . people know about the cold weather and so health services can get their . resources ready. 'We will monitor how the situation . develops and, if it pans out as predicted, the alert could be upgraded . to level three [amber]. 'Saturday will have a frosty start with patchy road ice and wintry showers in the north. 'The south and east will be drier, . albeit cold, with wintry showers on hills in Scotland on Sunday and . more very changeable weather to come.' This time last year, swathes of the . country was already covered in thick snow, causing hundreds of . schools to be closed, flights delayed and widespread chaos on the roads – . and forecasters are now warning of a potential repeat as conditions . will only get worse as the week goes on. Police across the . north of England and Scotland are warning motorists to take extra care. Night . temperatures will fall to sub-zero across many parts by tomorrow night, . bringing the risk of black ice  on Saturday. Stormy seas: A couple today walk along a wet and windy promenade in Blackpool, as Britain braces itself for winds of up to 100mph .
said. Today gusts of 113mph were recorded at Cairngorm, Scotland, on top of a mountain, in Ayrshire, Scotland, is battered by seawater as 'unprecedented for high wind'. Motorists north of the border were . told to 'exercise extreme of . schools to be closed, flights delayed and