Scotland will be hit with an 'Arctic maritime airmass' this week, resulting in freezing cold conditions and snowfall.
The Met Office has issued an updated weather warning across the country, with a yellow alert for snow and ice now in place on Wednesday, December 7 and Thursday, December 8.
Forecasters have urged people to take care and avoid injury whilst travelling as the mercury is set to drop to -10C overnight in some parts by the end of the week.
It's not yet known how long this cold spell will last, but it's expected to continue into next week as temperatures are "well below average" for this time of year.
Met Office deputy chief meteorologist, Rebekah Sherwin, said: "Temperatures will start to dip this week, with daytime temperatures struggling to get above freezing in many places from mid-week onwards. However, the cold air from the Arctic will also bring brighter conditions, with some dry, sunny spells in many areas, particularly away from the coast.
"Showers will turn more wintry as the week goes on with a risk of snow at times. A yellow National Severe Weather Warning for snow has been issued for Wednesday covering northern Scotland.
"We can expect to see some snow and wintry showers further south as the week progresses, particularly in coastal areas or over higher ground. There will be widespread frosts with temperatures falling to as low as -10°C overnight in isolated spots by the end of the week."
Here's everything you need to know about the Met Office's latest weather update.
Yellow snow and ice warning - Scotland
The Met Office has placed parts of the country under a yellow alert for snow and ice, from midnight on Wednesday, December 7 until 12pm on Thursday, December 8.
The forecaster said: "Showers will fall as snow to low levels inland on Wednesday, continuing through Wednesday night and Thursday morning. Accumulations of 2-5 cm are possible at lower levels, with 5-10 cm above 200 metres.
"Some drifting and blizzard conditions are likely in the strong northerly winds. In addition, ice is likely to form on untreated surfaces, mainly where some of the showers fall as rain or sleet on some coasts."
The Met Office had previously issued the warning just for snow, but it has since been updated to include ice and cover more areas.
What to expect
The weather forecaster has issued the following information about what people should expect during this time period:
- 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
Regions and local authorities affected
The yellow warning for snow and ice will affect the areas listed below.
Central, Tayside & Fife
- Angus
- Perth & Kinross
Grampian
- Aberdeen
- Aberdeenshire
- Moray
Highlands & Eilean Siar
- Na h-Eileanan Siar
- Highland
Orkney & Shetland
- Orkney Islands
- Shetland Islands
Strathclyde
- Argyll & Bute
Elsewhere, a Level 3 Cold Weather Alert has been issued by the UK Health Security Agency covering all of England from Wednesday evening through to Monday, December 12.
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