Warning: Yellow
To expect: Snow and ice
Affected areas: Central, Tayside and Fife, Grampian, Highlands and Eilean Siar, Orkney and Shetland, Strathclyde
Start time estimate: Monday 3pm
End time estimate: Tuesday 10am
The Met Office has issued a Yellow snow and ice alert for Central, Tayside and Fife, Grampian, Highlands and Eilean Siar, Orkney and Shetland and Strathclyde across the UK until Tuesday morning.
The warning is covering parts of Central, Tayside and Fife, Grampian, Highlands and Eilean Siar, Orkney and Shetland, Strathclyde. All local areas affected are listed below.
Wintry showers are forecast for the regions, expected to start covering the areas at around 3pm on Monday and continuing until 10am on Tuesday.
The Yellow warning for snow and ice was announced at 10:14am on Monday, February 16.
A Met Office forecast said: “Periods of rain, sleet and snow will spread southeastwards across Scotland at times through Monday and Monday night, accumulating snow initially on hills (typically above 200 m elevation) but falling to lower levels at times later in the day and overnight. Further scattered wintry showers will arrive from the northwest later in the night and into Tuesday morning. The greatest accumulations of snow will be during Monday evening and night, where 1-2 cm will be possible in places at low levels (away from north-facing coasts), 2-5 cm above about 150 m elevation and 5-8 cm above 300 m. With temperatures falling below freezing, ice is likely on untreated surfaces, even where precipitation may have fallen as rain or sleet. A few isolated lightning strikes will be additional hazards. Strong north to northwesterly winds are also likely during Monday evening and night across the Northern Isles and northeastern parts of the mainland, where gusts in more exposed areas could reach 50-60 mph.”
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). Be prepared for weather warnings to change quickly: 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 Met Office Warnings & Advice.
Full list of local regions affected
Central, Tayside and Fife
Angus, Perth and Kinross, Stirling
Grampian
Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray
Highlands and Eilean Siar
Eilean Siar, Highland
Orkney and Shetland
Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands
Strathclyde
Argyll and Bute
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 10am on Tuesday.