A weather warning has been issued for snow and ice for large parts of northern and western Scotland for Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

The yellow alert comes into force on Christmas Day at 9pm and runs through to 6pm on Boxing Day and covers The Highlands, Central, Tayside & Fife, Grampian and Strathclyde. 

The Met Office warns that strong west-northwesterly winds will bring increasingly frequent wintry showers to the west of Scotland through Sunday night and into Monday morning. 

READ MORE: White Christmas possible in areas of Scotland, Met Office says 

Accumulations of around 1-3cm of snow are possible at low levels and as much as 10cm over the hills, with a further 10cm possible on higher ground by the end of Monday. 

The Met Office also warns that there is also a small risk of isolated power outages as the snow and strong wind affects power lines.

The forecast reads: “Strengthening west-northwesterly winds will bring increasingly frequent wintry showers to the west of Scotland through Sunday night and into Monday morning. These may fall as snow to low levels for a time where temporary accumulations of 1-3 cm are possible, with 5-10 cm of snow over the hills. Icy surfaces will be an additional hazard.

"Snow will become increasingly confined to higher ground through Monday morning, with a further 10 cm or so possible by the end of the day. Strong to gale force winds bring the risk of drifting and blizzards for upland areas, with a small risk of isolated power outages as the snow and strong wind affects power lines.”