Weather causes chaos and confusion

For once, the forecasters had it pretty much spot on. The “beast from the east” was predicted with impressive accuracy last week. Yet still the conditions caused chaos when they hit yesterday.

While that chaos is perhaps understandable, the confusing messages sent out are not.

For parents in Fife, the message was clear, with an announcement on school closures made on Monday night. In Perth and Dundee it was far more fraught.

A decision in Dundee on potential school closures was promised at 7am.

The Scottish Government and police had urged against all travel so the many people expected educational establishments to keep the doors firmly shut.

The 7am deadline came and went without update, until, shortly before 7.30am, it was announced all schools in the city would open (but not before it had been suggested school buses would not be running).

Parents were understandably confused. Who should they trust? Those warning against all travel, or the council who decided it was safe to open schools?

Add to the mix the fact that some teachers could not make it in, resulting in kids being left sitting in assembly halls, and frustration among some boiled over.

Spring may be just around the corner, but it turns out winter had quite a sting in its tail.