Heavy rain and strong winds to continue in parts of Scotland 22 December 2012 Last updated at 17:24 Heavy rain and strong winds are to continue into Sunday across the north east of Scotland. Environment protection agency Sepa has 17 flood warnings in place across Tayside and Aberdeenshire. The Met Office issued amber warnings for heavy rain in Tayside, Angus, South Aberdeenshire, Fife and Perthshire. It said further bands of heavy rain accompanied by strong winds were expected to move northeastwards across Scotland until Sunday morning. The Met Office said: "Given that the ground is already saturated, the public should be prepared for an increased risk of further localised flooding." It also issued a yellow warning for rain across most of central southern and eastern Scotland all day on Saturday and Sunday. Sandbags are being used to protect a number of premises in Tayside. Council crews have been working to protect homes at risk of flooding in the village of Port William in Wigtonshire and at a number of houses in Stranraer. Public warning The Met Office warned that south-easterly winds would be strong, with gales around North Sea coasts and severe gales for Caithness and the Northern Isles. It issued an amber warning for strong winds across Shetland, gusting up to 80mph, from midnight to 14:00 on Sunday. Serco NorthLink Ferries warned that due to high winds sailings between the Northern Isles and Aberdeen would not run before Sunday evening. Passengers are advised to check scheduled services for amended services. On Saturday the retailer Tesco chartered a Hercules transporter plane to fly supplies to Shetland. Environment Minister Paul Wheelhouse encouraged the public to remain vigilant as adverse weather continues to sweep across Scotland. He said: "With more rain and high winds expected I urge the public to be extra vigilant and to pay particular attention to the likes of local radio and websites as well as Sepa's Floodline before embarking on any journeys. This afternoon (Saturday) I chaired the Scottish government's Resilience Operation (SGoRR) meeting to ensure we remain fully aware of the picture across the country. Following this, I would again like to thank all agencies and local responders for their efforts and hard work over the last 24 hours in dealing with the conditions many part of the country have been experiencing. The weather forecast is for calmer weather on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. It will still be unsettled at times with showery rain. A cold north-westerly wind sets in on Christmas Day night bring the possibility of wintry showers into northern Scotland to all levels.