Met Office extends Scotland snow and ice travel warnings

Snow and ice weather warnings have been extended to most parts of Scotland this weekend.

Motorists have been urged to drive with care as Arctic air brings treacherous conditions.

A Met Office yellow weather warning in northern Scotland has been extended until noon on Sunday. An alert across central and southern areas will be in place from 15:00 on Saturday.

A charity warned that millions around the UK will struggle to stay warm.

Temperatures are set to drop below zero overnight and could reach -10C (14F) in rural areas, the Met Office said.

Forecasters said up to 5cm of snow is possible at lower levels, with up to 15cm in areas above 200m – especially across the North Highlands, Moray and Aberdeenshire.

Heavy snow has already caused traffic disruption across the north east, with reports of vehicles becoming stuck on some routes.

Traffic Scotland said snow gates were closed on the A939 at Cock Bridge and the B974 at Cairn O’Mount in Aberdeenshire.

Aberdeenshire Council urged people to plan ahead if they are travelling over the weekend. Police in Dumfries and Galloway also warned drivers to be braced for the freezing temperatures.

Network Rail said a normal train service was planned, but with cold temperatures expected into next week, a meeting would be held to assess the forecast in detail.

BBC Scotland weather presenter, Joy Dunlop, said that while there will be treacherous conditions in the warning areas, it will be a dry and sunny winter weekend for many.

She said: “Despite the sunshine, it’s going to feel cold, with a very cold night ahead – especially on Sunday, when we could see lows of -10C or even lower.

“This cold feel with remain into next week, with snow showers developing more widely by the end of the week.”

The charity National Energy Action has said millions of people will struggle in the cold. It said people faced a “vicious choice” between a cold home and falling into debt.

Chief executive Adam Scorer said: “Millions will have been dreading the onset of winter.

“Impossibly high prices and now cold weather will leave millions struggling to stay warm and safe at home.”

Meanwhile, families are being urged to keep their pets away from frozen water due to the risk of falling through ice.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) teamed up with Park Rangers from Pentland Hills Regional Park to highlight the dangers.

Jonathan Honeyman, a fire investigation officer, said: “While ice can look and feel solid, it can suddenly crack and cause a person or a dog to fall through and potentially become trapped under the ice.”

He said pets should be kept on leads and owners should avoid throwing objects onto the ice for them to retrieve.

Mr Honeyman added: “If anyone does get into difficulty on the ice, do not attempt to rescue them.”