All downhill from here: snow set to be replaced by rain and gales
Children in Glasgow yesterday made the most of the heavy snowfall, after the coldest night in almost two years hit on Saturday. There was travel disruption, with roads shut and flight cancellations due to the weather. Scots are now being told to prepare for severe gales and heavy rain this week
Two climbers have been airlifted to safety after being discovered in a “precarious position” – having survived a night without shelter at 3,000ft.
The pair had called Police Scotland on Friday evening to report being stuck at Bidean nam Bian in Glencoe.
Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team volunteers battled for almost ten hours to reach them but were unable to do so in the blizzard conditions – six inches of snow fell in three hours. The pair huddled together to keep warm as temperatures dropped to -4°C.
After spending the night exposed to the elements, the pair were spotted by an HM Coastguard Search and Rescue helicopter on Saturday morning. It was able to winch them to safety at around 8:30am.
Both men were taken to Torlundy, near Fort William, before being handed over to the Scottish Ambulance Service.
In a statement, HM Coastguard urged people not to put themselves in any “unnecessary danger” if venturing into the mountains.
“Remember to be prepared, UK mountains should not be underestimated as they can be unforgiving for even the most experienced people.
“Severe weather conditions could mean a change in your environment within minutes and navigation could be difficult.
“White-out snow conditions could also make paths and tracks dangerously impassable.”