Around 100 schools across northern Scotland have shut their doors as heavy snow and ice bring widespread disruption to the region. A yellow weather warning remains in force until 9pm today, with Arctic conditions causing travel chaos and raising concerns about cut-off rural communities.
Officials closed the A90 in Aberdeen in both directions between Cleanhill roundabout and Stonehaven roundabout on Thursday morning due to snow, with many vehicles becoming stuck. Police urged motorists to avoid the area.
Aberdeen Airport also experienced delays and cancellations to early morning flights.
More than 90 schools closed in Aberdeenshire alone, while several others in the Highlands and Moray have either shut or delayed opening times. The closures come after a second consecutive day of snowy and icy conditions across the region.
Arctic Blast Hits UK
The Met Office has issued multiple warnings across the UK, including an amber alert for parts of North East England and Yorkshire where up to 25cm of snow could accumulate on high ground. The amber warning signals more severe conditions with potential for "occasional blizzard conditions" due to gusty winds.
Five yellow warnings for snow and ice cover much of Scotland, Northern Ireland, and parts of England and Wales. The warnings indicate possible travel delays, power cuts, and disruption to mobile phone signals in affected areas.
Temperatures plunged to -6C overnight at Spadeadam in Cumbria, with forecasters predicting potential lows of -12C in parts of Scotland on Friday.
First Major Cold Snap
Met Office chief forecaster Neil Armstrong said in a statement: "Cold Arctic air from the north is firmly in charge of the UK's weather, bringing the first notable cold snap of this autumn and giving an early taste of winter weather."
He added: "Wintry showers will affect areas exposed to the brisk northerly wind, in particular Northern Ireland, south-west Wales, south-west England, north-east England and across the northern half of Scotland. Whilst not all places will see lying snow, where showers are most frequent, accumulations of 2-5cm will be possible. On higher ground in Scotland, 15-20cm could accumulate and potentially as much as 15-25cm over the North York Moors and Yorkshire Wolds."
The Met Office warns that rural communities in the worst-affected areas could become cut off, with the risk of injury from slippery surfaces higher than usual.
Forecasters expect temperatures to rise closer to seasonal averages by the weekend, bringing wetter and windier conditions as the Arctic air retreats.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
