Hundreds of schools are closed amid snowy conditions and an amber weather alert has been issued for the weekend when Storm Bert is set to sweep in.
The Met Office said Storm Bert is expected to bring “heavy rain, strong winds and disruptive snow to parts of the UK through the weekend” and warned of travel disruption and potential flooding.
An amber weather warning and several yellow alerts have been issued – with as much as 40cm of snow to fall on higher ground.
A yellow weather warning for snow and ice covering the entire mainland and the Western Isles came into force at midday on Thursday and lasts until 10am on Tuesday.
The Met Office said it would see wintry showers and ice, leading to travel disruption.
A second yellow alert covers the northern mainland, Orkney and Shetland. It is in place for 24 hours from midday on Thursday.
The Met Office forecasts difficult travelling conditions as well as the potential for power cuts, loss of mobile services and strandings.
A yellow warning for rain and snow, covering most of Scotland and the rest of the UK, is in force from 4am on Saturday. Heavy snow, followed by a rapid thaw and subsequent rain on Saturday night, may cause disruption, the Met Office said.
At 5am on Saturday, a yellow wind warning comes into force as Storm Bert touches down in Scotland, bringing gusts of up to 70mph and causing disruption in places. Areas around the coast are forecast to be worst affected.
An amber snow and ice warning in the central Highlands will see heavy snowfall and travel disruption from 7am until 5pm on Saturday.
Snow and ice causes week of disruption
Large parts of Scotland have faced disruption to travel, schools forced to close and difficult road conditions since this week with multiple Met Office alerts issued.
A bus overturned in Aberdeenshire and a man died in a crash involving four vehicles on the A9.
On Wednesday, a car burst into flames on the A96 near Inverurie and a lorry jack-knifed on the A9 at Daviot in the Highlands forcing roads to be closed.
STV News
Fubar NewsOn Thursday, more than 30 schools were closed across Aberdeenshire while Inverness Royal Academy, Inverness High School and Charleston Academy were also shut.
Stagecoach buses confirmed all services across Inverness were suspended due to road conditions.
Gritters have been out in force amid weather warnings for snow and ice with the coldest temperature recorded overnight on Tuesday being -11.2C in Braemar.
Storm Bert: Heavy downpours across the country this weekend
Named Storm Bert, an alert for heavy rain and snow comes into force over Saturday and Sunday across 27 council areas.
Forecasters say heavy snow will be followed by a “rapid thaw and subsequent rain” on Saturday night which could cause travel disruption.
Gusts of wind could reach up 70mph in some parts, with gales of 40-60mph expected.
There is said to be a small chance of fast flowing or deep floodwater causing “danger to life” meanwhile roads and travel routes may be cancelled or delayed.
That warning begins on Saturday at 4am and runs until Sunday at around 9am.
Insight Sean Batty STV News Meteorologist
The cold weather is set to last a few more days before a dramatic change to much milder conditions at the weekend.
Wednesday night will be another very cold one with low of -8C in a few spots of central and southern Scotland, while wintry showers and icy weather continues to affect northern areas. Overnight slightly less cold ait will turn the snow in northern parts to more of a mix of rain and sleet, but snow will continue at higher levels.
On Thursday some wintry weather will move down the western side of the country with rain and sleet across the Highlands, Argyll and Bute, Glasgow, Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire, Inverclyde and Ayrshire. This will fall as snow over higher areas meaning the likes of Uplawmoor and East Kilbride could see some wet slushy snow settling on the grass.
A big change comes on Saturday, with gales arriving around coastal areas and across the islands as milder weather moves north. There will also be a spell of heavy rain, which will initially fall as snow over high ground, although even here, it’s likely to turn more sleety as the warmer air moves in. By Saturday evening, temperatures could be back to the low teens across the Inner Hebrides, Ayrshire, Dumfries, and Galloway—quite a shift from the low figures of the last few days.
Early next week colder air comes back south, but doesn’t look like it will last very long and won’t be as wintry as this spell has been for the north of the country.
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