Scotland to face coldest night of the year as temperatures plummet

Tonight will be the coldest night of the current cold spell, with temperatures falling to levels rarely seen at this time of year.

As snow showers clear from the northeast, skies will turn clear, leaving snow-covered ground and light winds – the ideal setup for exceptionally low temperatures.

Lows of around –7°C are likely in South Lanarkshire and Stirlingshire, but the coldest spots will be inland Aberdeenshire along with the south and west Highlands, where temperatures could fall to –12°C. While such values aren’t too unusual in the depths of winter, seeing them in November is notably rare.

That said, we experienced a similarly sharp cold snap at this time last year, when temperatures in Deeside and the northern Highlands fell below –10°C.

For context, between 2011 and 2023 the temperature in Scotland dipped below –10°C in November on only four occasions. And who could forget November 2010 – the coldest on record – when Altnaharra plunged to an extraordinary –16°C.

Tomorrow brings the first signs of change, with temperatures rising to around 9°C as windy, wet weather pushes into the Hebrides and Northern Isles. By Sunday, parts of Angus and Aberdeenshire should reach double figures, though heavy rain is expected.

Another dip in temperatures is on the way next week, but it won’t come close to the severity of the current cold spell.