More than 250 schools across northern Scotland will remain closed for a fifth consecutive day on Friday as authorities warn severe winter weather will "continue to be felt in the coming days". The closures affect over 150 schools in Aberdeenshire, dozens in the Highlands and Aberdeen, and several in Moray.
A yellow weather warning for snow and ice covers much of Scotland from Thursday evening until Friday midday. The alert follows five days of amber warnings that brought intense snowfall, ice and sub-zero temperatures to northern regions.
Scotland's government has now shifted focus from emergency response to recovery efforts. First Minister John Swinney is scheduled to visit an Amey depot in Aberdeen on Friday to assess the ongoing work.
Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: "Following five days of amber warnings and hugely challenging snow and ice conditions across northern Scotland, progress to fully recover continues." She warned that impacts would persist due to continuing yellow warnings and an unpredictable weekend forecast, with Storm Goretti set to affect other parts of the UK.
Political pressure mounts
Opposition politicians have sharply criticized the government's response speed. Andrew Bowie, Scotland's Shadow Secretary of State, called for military deployment to clear snow and deliver supplies to cut-off communities.
"The situation has now become critical," Bowie said. "Many people are increasingly cut off, with access to essential food supplies and medical provisions becoming extremely difficult and, in some instances, impossible."
Tim Eagle, Scottish Shadow Rural Affairs Secretary, questioned why the government's practical response wasn't faster given sustained Met Office warnings. He urged the creation of an "extreme weather system" allowing councils in unaffected areas to provide centrally-funded operational support to struggling regions.
Scottish Labour's Mark Griffin described "a vacuum of leadership from the SNP government," claiming hollowed-out council budgets had undermined preparedness.
Swinney rebuffed the criticism, stating there had been "full engagement with public authorities" and "very active communication by ministers." He confirmed all resources were mobilized and said he would request UK military assistance if local authorities required further support.
Infrastructure challenges
Aberdeenshire Council declared a major incident on Tuesday, warning of a "good chance" some rural communities would be cut off. The council plans to use lorries to remove accumulated snow from villages.
The severe conditions have disrupted transport networks across Scotland. A section of the A74(M) motorway was temporarily closed Thursday due to multiple collisions on icy surfaces but has since reopened. Snow gates remain shut on the B974 Bridge of Dye.
Network Rail cleared the northern section of the Far North Line between Brora and Wick/Thurso on Thursday evening after battling snow drifts up to 1.2 meters deep. Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop praised the efforts: "Thank you Network Rail Scotland – huge effort in very challenging conditions."
Community impact
Residents in affected areas describe the conditions as the worst in decades. Doug Griffin, an Insch resident for 25 years, said: "There has been nothing like this since 2010, it is quite remarkable. It makes it really difficult to do anything."
Local shops in rural areas faced empty shelves as delivery lorries couldn't reach villages. Some residents remained unable to leave their communities for several days.
Swinney acknowledged the scale of the challenge: "The challenge with the snow has been, quite simply, the volume, and we've had formidable resources available in the North East and in the Highlands to clear transport routes on the trunk roads and also on the rail network."
He praised farming communities and rural residents who used their own equipment to help clear routes.
Police Scotland's Assistant Chief Constable Alan Waddell confirmed local resilience partnerships continue coordinating responses across councils, emergency services, transport operators, NHS and health partnerships. He encouraged the public to safely check on neighbors or relatives, noting some services may remain affected by adverse weather.
All priority one routes in Aberdeenshire and the Highlands are now open, with progress made on priority two routes. However, authorities warn recovery will take time as cold conditions persist into the weekend.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
