BBC Scotland's news website offers some advice and information on preparing for and coping with bad weather.

Click on the links below and these will bring you to the various sections.

Up-to-date weather bulletins are available from the BBC website at www.bbc.co.uk/weather and the Met Office at www.metoffice.gov.uk. Travel updates from the BBC are available at www.bbc.co.uk/travelnews.

You can also access weather and travel information from pages 400 and 430 on Ceefax respectively.

In the event of a severe weather emergency, Age Concern Scotland advises older people to contact their local council should they need help. Numbers are available in the phone book. It also recommends getting in touch with friends and urges neighbours to check on older residents living near them.

Local Age Concern groups can also be contacted for assistance. Call 0845 833 0200 for details of the nearest group.

Scottish Water advises people to take preventative action to avert the risk of freezing and burst pipes.

It provides tips on heating internal water pipes which include wrapping them in polystyrene tubing and leaving the heating on at a low level at all times.

If pipes do freeze, Scottish Water recommends turning the water off at the mains stop valve, usually located in the kitchen and collecting cold water in the bath for washing and toilet flushing.

The Scottish Plumbing Federation (SNIPEF) advises householders to avoid turning on hot taps as the water cylinder could collapse.

The next step should be turning off the central heating and immersion heater and contacting SNIPEF on 0131 225 2255 for a list of registered plumbers in the area.

In the event of a burst pipe, residents should turn off the water and electricity supply at the mains, switch off any water heater and turn off the central heating system before contacting a plumber. Scottish Water's Customer Helpline can be contacted on 0845 601 8855 for advice on how to stem the flow.

Scottish Hydro Electric dedicates part of its website to coping with a power cut. It recommends keeping a torch with fresh batteries in a place where it can be easily reached, turning off all electrical appliances and lights apart from one so that it is clear when the power is back on.

Scottish Hydro Electric customers can report a power cut via the 24-hour emergency helpline on 0800 300 999.

Scottish Power advises customers to contact its 24-hour emergency line on 0845 2727 999 in the event of a power cut.

There are a range of grants available to older people to help with home insulation and a new helpline was established last month to help people claim all the benefits available to them. The Home Heat helpline can be contacted on 0800 33 66 99.

Check the latest travel updates on BBC Radio Scotland, with the situation on the country's key routes also available via Nadics cameras on BBC One Scotland every weekday morning.

You can also access information from the Royal Automobile Club and the Automobile Association helplines with call rates available via their websites.

Live flight information is available on the BAA website www.baa.co.uk. Alternatively, BAA airports can be contacted directly for the latest information. Aberdeen - 0870 040 0006 Edinburgh - 0870 040 0007 and Glasgow - 0870 040 0008. Glasgow Prestwick Airport can be contacted on 0871 223 0700. Highlands and Islands Airports can be contacted on 01856 886 210.

The latest information on trains can be accessed from the First ScotRail website on www.firstgroup.com/scotrail. First ScotRail customer relations is open seven days a week from 0700 GMT- 2200 GMT on 0845 601 5929.

UK-wide transport information is available from the Traveline on 0870 608 2608 or on www.traveline.org.uk/index.

Travel information for Caledonian MacBrayne ferries is available from www.calmac.co.uk or via the company's dedicated disruption line on 08457 650 050.

Northlink Ferry services to Orkney and Shetland can be contacted on 0845 6000 449 seven days a week.

Stena Line UK runs a ferrycheck service with up-to-date sailing information on 08705 755 755.