Scots manage to chill out despite lockdown curbs

SCOTS yesterday woke up to a frozen wonderland after one of the coldest nights of the year.

While skiers and snowboarders headed for the wintry slopes at Glenmore, Inverness-shire – even though all ski resorts are officially closed because of lockdown – others spent the day sledging on snow-covered hills and skating on frozen ponds in their local parks.

The country has been in the grip of sub-zero temperatures since before Christmas, culminating in yesterday morning’s UK low of -11.9C at Eskdalemuir in Dumfriesshire.

Icy conditions have also led to the Lynn Falls, near Dalry, Ayrshire, freezing over to create natural ice sculptures.

Weather forecasters have warned torrential rain and a thaw overnight tonight in some parts of the country will lead to travel problems. There is a risk of flooding in the Stirling area, as well as the Highlands and Islands and Argyll and Bute because of rapidly melting snow.

Elsewhere, a warning for heavy snow on Orkney and Shetland will last until 9am tomorrow.

Forecasters expect the weather to turn wintry again on Tuesday, with a return to overnight frosts and daytime highs of just above freezing. However, there may be better news for those fearing a return of the ‘Beast from the East’.

Met Office insiders say early indications suggest there will be a continuation of a northerly airflow, rather than the ‘easterly’ from Siberia that would be required to trigger heavy snow, which happened in Scotland nearly three years ago.

HERE WE SNOW: Skiers at closed snow gate at Glenmore, above left, while two little ones opt for sledging in Cambuslang, above right, while it’s a winter wonderland at Lynn Falls in Ayrshire, right