The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Whiteout on roads in ‘wild’ conditions
Drivers hit by blanket of snow but children become happy sledgers
Drivers in Courier Country faced whiteout conditions yesterday as the first widespread snowfall of the winter hit Scotland.
Perthshire and Fife experienced significant falls throughout Friday morning, with the M90 motorway reduced to a single lane for a period as drivers struggled to get to grips with the blizzard conditions.
Some drivers even referred to the route as “wild” in places, though there were no reports of any major incidents as a result of the wintry weather.
However, the extent of the freeze resulted in thick snow blanketing much of Kinross early in the day, while similar scenes were also reported on the A9 towards Dunblane.
Drivers were also tested in Highland Perthshire, where snow was second to sleet and rain in providing visibility issues for those journeying.
Police in Tayside had advised drivers to plan journeys in advance of setting off, citing changeable conditions throughout the region.
In Fife, there was considerable snowfall in higher areas such as Glenrothes and around the Lomond Hills, though few parts of the region escaped without at least a few flakes, following a heavy overnight frost on Thursday.
Lochgelly, Cowdenbeath and Kelty also saw significant snowfall, though most of the kingdom’s roads continued to operate as normal, with much of the snow having melted by mid-afternoon.
While a headache for those on the roads, the festive weather was just the ticket for youngsters as they made the most of their school holidays, with sledgers taking to the slopes in force before the big melt began.
Elsewhere, southern and western parts of the country bore the brunt of the foul weather, with treacherous travelling conditions reported on many roads.
The snowfall was even severe enough to prompt the temporary closure of Glasgow Airport, where blizzard conditions were reported in the morning.
Airport bosses were forced to apologise to passengers for delays to flights after 5cm (2in) of snow fell in the early hours of the morning.
Though services were eventually restored, thousands of passengers experienced delays of several hours as airlines gradually got their planes off the ground.
Football fans were also put through the wringer, with Dundee United fans facing an anxious wait throughout much of the day to find out whether their side’s top-of-the-table Championship clash with St Mirren was to go ahead.
With Paisley having experienced heavy snowfall, Buddies boss Jack Ross had warned fans the game could become a casualty of the weather, though officials finally gave the green light, despite some concerns about conditions for spectators travelling to the tie.
While snow may have prevailed throughout much of Scotland yesterday, it is strong winds and rain that are set to dominate the final days of 2017.
Storm Dylan is forecast to sweep across the country, with experts warning of the potential for “injuries and danger to life from flying debris”.
A yellow weather warning has been issued for much of Scotland for today, with further snow showers and ice predicted throughout the Central Belt and large swathes of Fife, Perthshire and the east coast.
However, there will be little respite tomorrow, as Dylan sweeps in from the west, with gusts of up to 80mph predicted by forecasters.
The warning is in place from around midnight to 3pm, with the Met Office saying there is a “small chance of damage to buildings”, as well as power cuts and potentially issues also with mobile phone coverage.
“Large waves and beach material being thrown on to coastal areas could also be a hazard,” the forecaster added.
“There is a small chance of longer journey times or cancellations as road, rail, air and ferry services are affected, with the chance that some roads and bridges could close.”
While winds are set to batter Scotland, other parts of the UK are also set for a torrid end to the year, with yellow flood warnings in place for parts of south-east Wales and south-west England.