Met Office yellow ice and snow warning issued ahead of freezing Hogmanay

Yellow weather warnings for ice and snow have been put in place across Hogmanay and New Year’s Day for parts of North and central Scotland.

Met Office forecasters have warned of treacherous conditions in Aberdeenshire and the Highlands from around 6pm on December 31 to 11am on January 1.

Freezing conditions are also expected on the outskirts of Edinburgh – where thousands are set to attend the traditional Hogmanay street party on its return after a three-year absence – and just outside Glasgow from 10pm.

Those heading out to ring in the bells have been advised to prepare accordingly.

“Some sleet and snow may fall down to around 100 metres at times but bulk of accumulations will be above 200m where 2-5 cm of snow is likely for some and perhaps 10 cm on some of the highest routes,” the forecast reads.

It comes after heavy rain resulted in widespread flooding across southern and central parts of Scotland, bringing travel disruption on Friday.

Forecasters have said the deadly bomb cyclone that sent temperatures plunging in the US over Christmas is causing the unsettled weather in the UK.

Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Helen Caughey said: “New Year’s Eve for most will be the wetter of the two days, with a number of fronts bringing rain and wind across much of the country.

“The unsettled weather will stay with us into the evening. Much of Scotland will see a largely dry day, with just the odd shower, before a more persistent band of rain and hill snow arrives.

“This will be followed by a more mixed New Year’s Day, with Scotland seeing the bulk of the unsettled conditions, with spells of rain, turning to snow over higher ground, continuing to push north.

“While it will be mild across the south, it will remain colder in the north with an ice risk in places here early on Sunday.

“Elsewhere, a drier day is expected, although with some showers, mainly across western areas, ahead of conditions becoming more widely settled into Monday.”