Icy blast sparks fear of ‘significant snow’
SCOTLAND could be hit by ‘significant’ snowfall this week as northerly winds threaten to bring blizzard conditions.
Forecasters have warned the same weather pattern which brought heavy snow this time last year is returning.
The Met Office’s Aiden McGivern said chill winds from the north will begin to dominate from today. He added: ‘We are likely to see showers fall as snow over the higher ground in northern and western Scotland.
‘It will be above 600m (1,969ft) as we end Wednesday, but even colder air comes south on Thursday morning.
‘Wet weather then pushes through on Friday morning. Most of this is rain but another “dig” of cold air follows that... we will see a spell of very strong winds across western and north-western parts of the country later Friday and into the start of the weekend. There is the chance for some significant hill snow across Scotland. The mix of hill snow comes south during Saturday morning. There’s always the potential that snow won’t be entirely confined to the hills.’
Last November was noticeably milder than usual, at 1.6C (2.9F) above the monthly average. November 2021 will be remembered as even warmer, at 2.4C (4.3F) above average.
Next week, the Met Office will deliver its statistics for autumn, which includes September, October and November. It is already clear all three months have been warmer than normal and, in some parts of Scotland, significantly drier as well.
Tomorrow, Transport Scotland will issue its winter advice to drivers, updating on stocks of road salt and suggesting practical steps to prepare for unsettled conditions.
Yesterday, Eskdalemuir in Dumfries-shire recorded the lowest autumn temperature of 2021 at -3.6C (25.5F).
Bookmakers have offered odds of 7-2 on a white Christmas in Glasgow and 10-3 for Edinburgh. The last widespread white Christmas was in 2010. The UK has not seen lying snow on Christmas Day since 2015.