A blanket of snow could cover parts of Scotland in the next couple of days, with some areas seeing up to seven inches (20cm).

Travel was expected to be disrupted on Friday due to warnings issued for snow and rain at opposite ends of the UK.

The Met Office placed a yellow warning across parts of central Scotland and the Highlands, adding that rural communities may become cut off, power cuts were possible and transport services were likely to be affected.The lowest minimum temperature recorded across the UK by 11pm on Thursday was minus 6.8C (minua 20F) at Braemar in Aberdeenshire.

Yellow warnings for rain were also in place across the Scottish coast from Perth to Aberdeen.

And forecasters have said snowy conditions could bring “significant” disruption to travel across the region, with a warning in place from 4am on Thursday until midday on Friday.

It comes after large swathes of the UK were blanketed in snow last weekend.

The Met Office said the UK had experienced its snowiest spell since late January 2019, when 20 weather stations in the UK recorded accumulations of two inches (5cm) or more for three days consecutively.

There are also yellow warnings in place for rain over the next couple of days, with as much as 40mm expected locally in eastern parts of Scotland.

A resident in western Scotland said locals were having to dig pathways out of snow surrounding their homes.

“We are currently trying to dig our access road out… it will probably take us and our neighbours a full day to dig us out,” Clare Hoskins, who lives near Largs, North Ayrshire, said.

The 37-year-old lecturer at Strathclyde University said she believes the nearby main road has also been closed due to the heavy snowfall.

And more disruption could be on the way as forecasters warn that travel conditions could become treacherous across parts of central and northern Scotland. 

What to expect

  • Some roads and railways will be affected with longer journey times by road, bus and train services. Some services may be cancelled and there is a small chance of stranded vehicles and passengers.
  • Some rural communities could become cut off
  • Power cuts may occur and other services, such as mobile phone coverage, may be affected

The Herald: MET OFFICEMET OFFICE

Regions and local authorities affected:

Central, Tayside & Fife

  • Angus
  • Perth and Kinross
  • Stirling

Grampian

  • Aberdeenshire
  • Moray

Highlands & Eilean Siar

  • Highland

Strathclyde

  • Argyll and Bute

The Herald: Picture taken with permission from the twitter feed of @HoskinsLab of snow near Largs, North Ayrshire. Picture date: Thursday January 28, 2021.Picture taken with permission from the twitter feed of @HoskinsLab of snow near Largs, North Ayrshire. Picture date: Thursday January 28, 2021.

The Herald: Picture taken with permission from the twitter feed of @HoskinsLab of snow near Largs, North Ayrshire. Picture date: Thursday January 28, 2021.Picture taken with permission from the twitter feed of @HoskinsLab of snow near Largs, North Ayrshire. Picture date: Thursday January 28, 2021.

The Herald: Picture taken with permission from the twitter feed of @HoskinsLab of snow near Largs, North Ayrshire. Picture date: Thursday January 28, 2021.Picture taken with permission from the twitter feed of @HoskinsLab of snow near Largs, North Ayrshire. Picture date: Thursday January 28, 2021.