Snow and ice warnings as temperature drops

THE Met Office has issued urgent weather warnings for snow and ice in many parts of Scotland, stressing that higher areas of the country could see 40cm (15¾in) of snow.

- BY JOHN GLOVER

Parts of the north have already seen widespread disruption to roads and railways due to snow, and the national weather agency has warned of a risk of power cuts, communities cut off, and vehicles stranded.

The Met Office said areas under amber alerts could be hit with 10-20cm (3.9-7.9in) of snow at lower altitudes and as much as 30-40cm (11.8-15¾in) on higher ground, with winds potentially causing blizzards. It issued three amber alerts and one yellow snow and ice warning covering most of the country as temperatures plummeted for the first week of the new year.