Warning: Yellow
To expect: Snow
Affected areas: Central, Tayside and Fife, Grampian, Highlands and Eilean Siar, SW Scotland, Lothian Borders, Strathclyde
Start time estimate: Saturday 1am
End time estimate: Saturday noon
The Met Office has announced a Yellow snow and ice warning for Central, Tayside and Fife, Grampian, Highlands and Eilean Siar, SW Scotland, Lothian Borders and Strathclyde across the UK for Saturday.
The warning is covering parts of Central, Tayside and Fife, Grampian, Highlands and Eilean Siar, SW Scotland, Lothian Borders, Strathclyde. All local areas affected are listed below.
Snow will blanket the regions. The snow flurries are projected to arrive across the areas on Saturday at around 1am, and it will continue snowing until noon.
The Yellow alert for snow and ice was announced at 10:40am on Friday, January 24.
A Met Office forecast said: “Snow showers will continue to affect Scotland overnight into Saturday morning. Snow accumulations will mainly be confined to high ground, above roughly 200 metres, where 5-10 cm could develop in places. Ice will be a more significant hazard with icy stretches forming on untreated surfaces as temperatures fall below freezing.”
What to expect
Some roads and railways likely to be affected with longer journey times by road, bus and train services; Some injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces; Probably some icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths.
What should you do?
Snowy, wintry weather can cause delays and make driving conditions dangerous. Keep yourself and others safe by planning your route, giving yourself extra time for your journey. Check for road closures or delays to public transport and amend plans if necessary. If driving, make sure you have some essentials in your car in the event of any delays (e.g., warm clothing, food, water, a blanket, a torch, ice scraper/de icer, a warning triangle, high visibility vest and an in-car phone charger). Keep yourself and your family safe when it is icy. Plan to leave the house at least five minutes earlier than normal. Not needing to rush, reduces your risk of accidents, slips, and falls. If you need to make a journey on foot, try to use pavements along main roads which are likely to be less slippery. Similarly, if cycling, try and stick to main roads which are more likely to have been treated. Be prepared for weather warnings to change: when a weather warning is issued, the Met Office recommends staying up to date with the weather forecast in your area. For further details see https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/uk-warnings.
Full list of local regions affected
Central, Tayside and Fife
Angus, Clackmannanshire, Dundee, Falkirk, Fife, Perth and Kinross, Stirling
Grampian
Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray
Highlands and Eilean Siar
Highland
SW Scotland, Lothian Borders
Dumfries and Galloway, East Lothian, Edinburgh, Midlothian Council, Scottish Borders, West Lothian
Strathclyde
Argyll and Bute, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire
What is a yellow weather warning?
The Met Office has three categories of weather warning, depending on the likely impact of severe weather and also how likely it is to strike in a particular area.
A yellow warning is issued when weather conditions are expected to disrupt travel and traffic and may impact on daily routines but are not likely to pose a risk to life or property.
An amber warning is more severe and advises people to think about changing their plans to minimise the risk.
A red warning means weather conditions are expected to be dangerous with widespread damage to property and a risk to life, with the public usually advised to avoid travelling.
The Yellow weather alert for snow and ice will remain in effect until noon on Saturday.