Scotland to be hit by Arctic snow and black ice blast as yellow weather warnings issued

The yellow weather warning will cover much of the Central Belt

Scotland is set to be hit by snow and black ice as an Arctic blast sweeps the country from as early as Sunday, with the first official yellow weather warning issued for autumn.

Up to 20cm of snow is possible on higher ground under the alert issued by the Met Office. There is a small chance of up to 10cm of snow settling at lower levels, which could prove disruptive, forecasters said.

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The Met Office issued two separate warnings covering various parts of Scotland, including Edinburgh and Glasgow from Monday.

The yellow weather warning area issued by the Met OfficeThe yellow weather warning area issued by the Met Office
The yellow weather warning area issued by the Met Office | Met Office

A yellow warning for ice and snow will be in place for some of the Highlands and islands, including Inverness and parts of Moray, from 4pm on Sunday through to 11am on Monday.

The alert is then followed by a second yellow warning that will extend across significant swathes of the Central Belt, extending from 10am on Monday to 10am on Tuesday.

The warning covers Glasgow and Edinburgh, as well as parts of the Lothians, Scottish Borders, Strathclyde, Falkirk, Stirling, and Dumfries and Galloway.

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Snow covers Calton Hill in Edinburgh. Picture: Getty ImagesSnow covers Calton Hill in Edinburgh. Picture: Getty Images
Snow covers Calton Hill in Edinburgh. Picture: Getty Images | Getty Images/iStockphoto

Parts of north-east England, as well as Yorkshire, Lancashire and Cumbria, are also covered.

Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Rebekah Hicks said: “A notable early winter cold spell will arrive across the north from Sunday and will likely reach all parts of the UK by mid-week.

“Temperatures will drop as a northerly airflow develops, bringing in colder Arctic air. This introduces the possibility of snow, initially over high ground in the north from Sunday, with gusty winds also a potential hazard.

“As the cold air spreads south, wintry weather is possible more widely, and a snow and ice warning has already been issued for parts of Scotland and northern England for early next week.”

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Ms Hicks added: “Updates to the warnings for wintry hazards are likely, so it’s important to stay up to date with the latest forecast.”

The cold front comes after weeks of mild, above-average temperatures and is likely to reach all parts of the UK by the middle of next week.

In an alert issued on Friday morning, the Met Office warned: “There is a small chance of travel delays on roads with some stranded vehicles and passengers, along with delayed or cancelled rail and air travel.”

There is also a risk of power cuts to affected areas, as well as untreated pavements and cycle paths becoming impassable, rural communities being cut off, and bus and train services being delayed or cancelled.

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Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge said: “It’s going to get colder over the coming days – it’s still pretty mild in the south, but there is a cold front that will be sinking south across northern parts of the UK.

“There’s going to be some wintriness in the hills, for example, tonight and into tomorrow.

“That’s all at quite high levels – Scottish mountains, Lake District maybe. Then we get into our warning period for snow and ice.”

Forecasters say the change in the weather is a result of low pressure moving in.

The AA advised night-time and early-morning drivers to “keep their wits about them as fog becomes likely in some parts of the UK”, and to check their vehicles.

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