Scotland snow: Hundreds of schools closed and travel warning after more heavy snowfall
Travel chaos and schools set to be closed on Monday as up to 30cm of snow expected in parts of the country
Hundreds of schools have been shut and flights cancelled as weather warnings remain in force with snow bringing disruption.
Amber weather warnings are in place for snow in parts of Scotland , forecasting "heavy snow" and travel disruption, while yellow warnings for snow and ice cover much of the UK.
Schools in Shetland, Orkney , the Western Isles, Aberdeenshire and many in Moray are shut on Monday, while flights have been cancelled and some train lines are also affected.
Network Rail Scotland said the Aberdeen - Dundee , Aberdeen - Inverness , Inverness -Wick/Thurso and Inverness -Kyle of Lochalsh services are unlikely to run until midday, due to heavy and drifting snow.
Loganair cancelled flights from Aberdeen and Inverness airports following heavy snowfall.
The amber warning expired at 10am on Monday and covers Aberdeen , Aviemore in the Cairngorms, and Ullapool, Ross-shire.
The warnings covered much of the Highlands and Aberdeenshire areas, Orkney , Shetland , and Outer Hebridean Islands, from Sunday evening until 10am on Monday - with the potential for another 5-10cm of snow accumulating at low levels, with the potential for 20-30cm on high ground.
Separate yellow warnings for snow and ice cover much of the UK, including Northern Ireland, Wales , much of Scotland north of Glasgow , south-west England , north-west England , the Midlands , east England and the north-east of England , stretching up to the Borders.
READ MORE: Schools Closed Today: Here is the full list of schools closed in Scotland today, January 5
Amber weather warnings are issued when there is an increased likelihood of impacts from severe weather, including the possibility of travel delays, road and rail closures, power cuts and the potential risk to life and property.
Yellow warnings are issued for a range of weather situations, including when it is likely that the weather will cause some low level impacts, including some disruption to travel in a few places, or when the weather could bring much more severe impacts to the majority of people but the certainty of those impacts occurring is much lower, according to the Met Office.
With many households set to return to work and school at the start of the week, a yellow warning for snow across wide areas of northern Scotland has been extended throughout Monday, with a separate yellow warning for snow and ice covering a vast area of the country north of the central belt, and taking in parts of the Lothians and the Borders, in place for all of Tuesday.
Key trunk and local routes could see heavy snow and ice, poor visibility, and challenging conditions. An amber warning potentially means an increased likelihood of impacts from severe weather, which could disrupt travel. There is the possibility of road and rail closures, power cuts and the potential risk to life and property.
The Met Office warned that rural communities in the regions covered by the new amber weather warning could become cut off, with the potential for mobile phone coverage and flights being impacted.
A Met Office spokesperson said: "Heavy snow showers will become more frequent and may merge to give longer spells of snow at times.
"The areas and period covered by this warning are when the heaviest and most disruptive snow is thought most likely during the current cold spell, with existing yellow warnings covering a wider area and a longer period.”
Separate yellow warnings for snow and ice are in place for Wales, Greater Manchester and south west England, while much of the east coast of England is covered by a yellow warning for ice.
On Sunday, up to 14 centimetres of snow fell in parts of the north east of Scotland, with the conditions impacting travel plans. Loganair cancelled flights from Aberdeen and Inverness airports following heavy snowfall, with all flights in and out of Sumburgh Airport on Shetland cancelled.
Highland Council said heavy overnight snowfall had left many roads becoming “impassable” in the Caithness area. The B874 Halkirk to A9 junction road was still closed, as was the A897 Strathy to Helmsdale and B9176 Struie roads in Sutherland.
Aberdeenshire Council said more than 100 contractor and farmer ploughs had been helping to clear the snow, but parts of the road network were still said to be “impassable.” Vehicles were struggling in difficult conditions on the AWPR bypass around Aberdeen.
Cotag, a voluntary 4x4 response team in the north east, said it had been called out to assist the NHS over 200 times since the new year.
Network Rail said heavy snow in areas such as Kintore in Aberdeenshire, had seen snowploughs dispatched to clear the railway line, as well as further north on the line to Wick. One of its snowploughs encountered drifts up to four feet deep near Laurencekirk. In a sign of the challenging conditions, the firm said new snowdrifts were forming “just as quickly as we clear the track.”
In a post on X, it added that strong winds accompanying the heavy snow meant access was blocked in some cases, but stressed that its teams were working “around the clock” to keep tracks clear.
ScotRail has warned that some of its services could be cancelled, delayed, or revised. Several services to and from Aberdeen terminated at Dundee on Sunday due to heavy snow, and the firm said it would be unable to resume some services until Monday afternoon, with services between Aberdeen and Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverness, and Inverness and Wick and Thurso most likely to be affected.
Mark Ilderton, ScotRail’s service delivery director, explained: “Safety is our number one priority so it's very important we make sure all routes that have been affected by the heavy snowfall and low temperatures are safe before we run any passenger services.”
LNER said it too was experiencing “major disruption” between Edinburgh and Aberdeen, and advised its customers not to travel between the capital and Aberdeen and Inverness in either direction until 2pm on Monday. “Services that are running may be heavily delayed and could experience severe overcrowding,” it stated. “There will be no rail replacement in operation due to unsafe travel conditions.”
Northlink Ferries has also warned of possible weather related delays to some of its services.
Shetland Islands Council has said its schools will be closed on Monday, citing the “current wintry weather conditions,” while all schools and nurseries run by Aberdeenshire Council will also be closed. Orkney’s schools will also be closed, with more than 40 primary and secondary schools also shut.
Aberdeen City Council said the poor weather and uncertainty around road conditions meant that its schools would not open until 11am, with further updates expected to be issued by individual headteachrs in the morning.
Police Scotland’s Assistant Chief Constable, Alan Waddell, said: “The forecasted heavy snow showers and ice means driving conditions are likely to be hazardous in some areas. Our advice is to plan ahead and consider if your journey is really necessary during the weather warnings.
“We continue to work with partners to help our communities impacted by the adverse weather. If you need to travel, please drive to the conditions, be prepared for delays and allow extra time for your journey. Please don’t drive through road closures, the decision to close roads is not taken lightly and is done for public safety.”
Due to the potential for ongoing disruption due to the wintry weather, Transport Scotland said the operating hours of its multi agency response team were being extended so as to monitor conditions.
The agency said operating companies have deployed extra resources, activated dedicated snow plans for specific routes, and stand ready to provide any mutual aid requested.
The Scottish Government’s resilience room (SGORR) has also been activated in response to amber warnings for snow.
Cabinet secretary for transport, Fiona Hyslop, urged people to check Traffic Scotland’s website and social media channels for the latest information on how the weather is impacting the trunk road network.
“We've already seen challenging conditions and freezing temperatures, with more snow and ice on the way for the same areas,” she said. “Of course for many Monday marks a return to work from the festive break. If you have to travel then please ensure your vehicle is winter ready and have a winter kit in your car.
"Follow Police Scotland travel advice. If you can delay your journey until the amber warning has expired, please do so.”
She also thanked frontline staff such as gritter drivers, chainsaw gangs, and police officers who have been working in “dreadful conditions these past few days and over the next 48 hours.”
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