Scotland will be facing blizzard conditions and a bone-chilling drop in temperatures this week as the Met Office extends its warnings for snow and ice.
The Met Office has forecasted that a spell of wintry showers will sweep across from the Arctic. The subzero forecast on Wednesday, December 7 and Thursday, December 8 are now predicted to continue through Friday.
The forecaster predicts that not everywhere in Scotland will see snow. Although it's more likely to fall at higher levels of ground, the Met Office has that two to five cm of snow may be possible on lower levels.
The worst affected areas are likely to be the north and southwest of Scotland.
Here's everything you should know in preparation for the bad weather.
Where will it snow in Scotland today?
The Met Office has forecasted that parts of northern Scotland will see ice and snowfall. The service has issued a warning for people to take care when travelling.
The weather map above from WX Charts for December 7 shows snowfall sweeping across the north and affecting places such as:
- Orkney Islands
- Shetland Islands
- Stornoway
- Portree
- Inverness
- Aberdeen
- Moray
- Perth and Kinross
The Met Office also warned that strong winds in places such as Lerwick, Thurso, Banff and Stonehaven could pose a danger as it may cause snow to drift.
Elsewhere in Scotland, parts of the southwest have also been placed under a weather warning by the Met Office.
East Lothian, Midlothian Council and the Scottish Borders have been alerted of possible snow and ice from 6pm on Wednesday, December 7 until 12pm on Thursday, December 8.
The Met Office said: "Frequent wintry showers running down the east coast are likely to fall on frozen surfaces in places, leading to the formation of icy patches.
"These showers are likely to fall as snow on high ground, with the potential for a few centimetres to accumulate in places."
Weather warnings for Thursday, December 8
The poor weather conditions are set to continue Thursday and Friday as more warnings are in place for a greater number of areas.
The snow and ice warning in the north of the country has been extended to last from midnight on Thursday, December 8 until 12pm on Friday, December 9, covering the following areas:
Central, Tayside & Fife
- Angus
- Perth & Kinross
Grampian
- Aberdeen
- Aberdeenshire
- Moray
Highlands & Eilean Siar
- Na h-Eileanan Siar
- Highland
Orkney & Shetland
- Orkney Islands
- Shetland Islands
Scotland ice warning
A separate warning for icy weather has also been issued from 4pm on Thursday until 12pm on Friday, with these areas likely to be affected:
SW Scotland, Lothian Borders
- Dumfries and Galloway
- East Lothian
- Midlothian Council
- Scottish Borders
Strathclyde
- East Ayrshire
- South Ayrshire
- South Lanarkshire
The Met Office said to expect some injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces, as well as slippery patches on untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths.
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