SCOTLAND was battered by winds of up to 100mph today as roads, trains and sea services were seriously disrupted.

Amber weather warnings have been issued by the Met Office as more fierce weather is predicted for the weekend.

Rush-hour motorists were urged to take care after gale-force winds were recorded in the Glasgow area overnight.

Forecasters said gusts of 80-90mph will be common across parts of the country, including Argyll and Bute, with winds in excess of 100mph possible.

Very large waves may also lead to dangerous conditions along the West Coast, the Met Office said.

Met Office forecaster Helen Roberts said: ''It will probably be into this morning that we have the strongest winds.

''It could fell trees and could definitely cause some damage.

"These winds could stir up waves on the way in and cause damage along the coast.

"There could be a surge on top of the tides in the North Sea in the day on Saturday.''

No trains were travelling from Glasgow to Oban and Fort William, and there were no services between Kilwinning, Ardrossan, and Largs.

Trains between Dumbarton Central and Helensburgh Central were also disrupted today.

Rail bosses said no trains were expected to run on these lines until late this afternoon.

Ferries between Largs and Cumbrae were also cancelled this morning. There was due to be a review of services at noon.

Schools in some parts of the country were closed this morning, including all schools in Orkney.

Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution (SHEPD) said it was operating at "yellow alert status" in response to the weather forecast.

The electricity distributor has mobilised hundreds of additional staff on the ground and in customer call centres to deal with any potential damage the storm may cause.

Rodney Grubb, head of operations, said: "Going to yellow alert is an indication of how seriously we are taking this storm.

"It means increasing our resources and mobilising them to places where the storm is likely to cause the most havoc and damage the electricity network."

He urged customers to be prepared in case the power goes off.

Motorists have been warned to take particular care this morning.

Superintendent Stewart Carle said: "During this period of extreme weather, road policing crews will be patrolling the road network in order to keep people safe.

"Please be aware of the advice being issued, and drive with extra caution and use common sense in challenging situations."

Heavy rain and gusts of up to 60mph already brought some disruption to parts of the country earlier this week, with bridges closed and ferry services cancelled.

Eight flood warnings and three flood alerts are also in place across the country.

The incoming storm is part of an extra-fast jet stream moving across the Atlantic, triggered by plunging temperatures in the United States which has hit warmer air, stirring up potent winds.

The winds are predicted to die down tonight before returning tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the Met Office issued yellow warnings of snow and ice across the country for tomorrow.

Forecasters said there could be 5-15cm of snow on high ground.