AN “Arctic influence” is set to hit parts of Scotland this weekend after a low of -11.1C was recorded in Aviemore earlier this week.
The Met Office has said a “more northerly wind” and “Arctic influence” is expected to descend over the UK on Sunday and bring temperatures down.
A band of rain is expected to move over northern Scotland late on Friday before it makes its way southward on Saturday.
Met Office spokesperson Stephen Dixon said: “From Sunday, we can see a bit of another change in the weather and turning things cooler again.
“It’s turning to more of a northerly regime, so we’re starting to see more of a northerly wind and more of an Arctic influence over the UK’s weather which increases the risk of wintry hazards to the north initially in particular.
“So by the time you get to Sunday there’s a chance of snow showers in northern areas, particularly near the coast, it’s something we’re keeping an eye on at the moment.”
Dixon added that the Met Office would keep an eye on the colder temperatures and that there is the possibility some weather warnings could be issued.
“By the middle and end of next week there’s a chance, as warmer air moves in from the south west, of some snow further south, but at this range it’s not possible to pick out anything in terms of detail as to extent or likelihood of that one.”
The Met Office’s Kathryn Chalk added: “Going into the weekend, we start to see two cold fronts sinking southwards from northern Scotland.
“The first will mainly mean rain over Scotland but the one behind it will introduce much colder air.
“This is a cold air mass straight from the Arctic so we expect to see showers turning to significant snow on Sunday into Monday.
“This could result in 5-10cm (up to 4 inches) of snow in northern and coastal locations landing over 24 hours.”
