WEATHER forecasters are warning of further transport misery for most of Scotland on Wednesday as a new band of heavy rain sweeps across the country.

The Met Office yellow alerts came as high winds and heavy rain battered Scotland causing flooding in some areas as a storm that hit the US arrived in Britain.

The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) had 55 flood warnings and nine flood alerts in force on Tuesday night for regions across the country.

The Met Office warned that another area of heavy rain is expected to move north east, reaching parts of Northern Ireland Wednesday then across much of Scotland into Wednesday morning.

Snow was expected to fall over high ground, mainly to the north of the central belt.

The new warnings covering Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway, Lothian and Borders, Central, Tayside, Fife, Grampian and Highlands and Western Isles were valid until noon on Wednesday.

The Met Office said: "Please be aware of the potential for difficult travel conditions on Wednesday morning, mainly from surface water on roads."

The weather forecaster added: "There is uncertainty over the exact track of the depression and therefore also where the heaviest rain will occur, as well as the extent of any snow."

Train, ferry and road travel were affected on Tuesday just weeks after heavy flooding brought misery to many communities.

In Edinburgh, a bus passenger was reportedly injured after a chimney was blown off a building and smashed through a bus window on Nicolson Street at 9.45am The man was was treated at the scene by the Scottish Ambulance Service.

South Bridge remained closed between Chambers Street and Nicolson Square until the affected buildings were assessed and made safe.

Traffic Scotland reported overturned HGVs on the A1 Dunbar to Haddington route and a load was blown off a truck at junction 26 of the M8, blocking two lanes.

The Herald:

The M9 southbound was shut for five hours. Drivers were warned of heavy surface water between junctions 9 and 10 of the M9, on the A76 south of Sanquhar and on the A9 at Auchterarder, with the Perthshire route said to be affected by six inches of standing water.

Rail operators said passengers should be aware of potential disruption after flooding caused difficulties at Helensburgh, Kirkconnel and Kilwinning. Caledonian MacBrayne ferry services were also affected, with more than a dozen routes cancelled or disrupted.

The Herald:

In mid-afternoon, police said a tidal surge was causing problems in Annan, Dumfries and Galloway and there was flooding in the town's Port Street.

Sandbags and a flood management team were in place on Whitesands, Dumfries which was closed on Wednesday afternoon as water levels rose on the River Nith, spilling onto nearby streets. Police urged the public to be aware of standing water.

The Herald:

Police warned that Whitesands will remain closed into Wednesday morning due to an anticipated high tide in the early hours.

A tree fell on the A708 between Selkirk and Moffat causing delays in the morning - a number of other minor roads were also affected by fallen trees.

Pupils and staff at Aberfoyle Primary School in Stirling had to be evacuated by boat after the building was cut off by flooding.

Firefighters and members of Trossachs Search and Rescue team were alerted to help as children were escorted through water that was close to a metre deep in places.

Stirling Council said the school would be closed for the rest of the day.

Danny Gibson, Stirling Council's environment convener, said: "Twenty-two pupils and staff, including 12 children, were evacuated with the help of fire and rescue service crews, who used a boat and two rescue sleds.

"We'll be working closely with our partner agencies to monitor the situation overnight."