A double weather alert is in place across Helensburgh and Lomond as Storm Gerrit batters large parts of Scotland.

The Met Office has issued a series of yellow weather warnings covering large parts of Scotland on December 27.

One warning for rain and snow runs from 6am until 9pm on Wednesday and covers most of the Highlands, Argyll and Bute and the east and north-east of the country.

There is also a separate warning in place for high winds until midnight tonight; this warning does not cover Helensburgh specifically, though it does skirt Loch Lomond and the Rest and Be Thankful as well as the northern and western parts of Argyll and Bute, suggesting Helensburgh and Lomond is unlikely to be completely spared strong winds through the course of the day.

And the impact of the bad weather is already being felt locally, with Caledonian MacBrayne cancelling the first four ferry sailings between Kilcreggan and Gourock, with a review due to take place at 10am.

There is high potential for disruption across the area, with transport services impacted and a deterioration of road conditions. 

In relation to the first warning, the Met Office said: "A band of heavy rain and hill snow will move northeast across Scotland on Wednesday.

"At low elevations (roughly below 200 metres) this will fall mostly as rain, with 20-30 mm quite widely and perhaps as much as 50-70 mm in some locations.

"At higher elevations (roughly above 200 to 300 metres) snow is expected, with 10-15 cm likely to accumulate, particularly on southeast-facing hills, affecting some higher transport routes.

"Additionally very strong south-easterly winds will accompany the rain and snow, leading to blizzard conditions on the highest routes, and perhaps also ice build-up on some power lines and other structures over high ground."

The Met Office alert for the second warning states: "Heavy rain will move northeastwards across southern Scotland on Wednesday morning, clearing away later in the afternoon.

"Across the warning area accumulations of 30 to 40 mm are expected with 60 to 80 mm falling over some of the higher ground.

"Snow is also likely for a short time across hills, but this will turn to rain by around mid-morning."