Snow warning as freezing week forecast for Scotland
SPELLS of disruptive snow and freezing temperatures could sweep across Scotland next week, forecasters have said.
The current cold spell, which saw snow and sleet fall across the country over the weekend, is set to continue and then worsen as the week goes on, according to the Met Office.
Temperatures sunk as low as - 9°C in parts of northern Scotland as the weekend began, while in southern parts of the country conditions hovered a few degrees above freezing.
However, the mercury could be set to drop even further over the next seven days.
Several inches of snow could blanket Scotland while strong winds could also make driving conditions treacherous going into next weekend.
A cold front sweeping in from the northwest this morning will bring fresh dustings of hill snow for the Highlands and Grampians.
Increasingly there will be a risk of “severe night frost” and snow across the country, with lower areas also affected.
A Met Office spokesman said: “On Sunday morning rain and hill snow will be moving into the west of Scotland. That will push south- eastward throughout Sunday with brighter skies filling in from the north- west. Top temperatures of around 6°C.
“Into Sunday night it will turn frosty and during Monday we will gradually see wet and windy weather from the west which is again likely to turn to snow over the hills.”
Conditions look set to turn colder next week with the possibility of heavy rain, sleet and snow across the country.
Higher areas, including hills and mountainous parts of the country, can expect widespread flurries with temperatures possibly dropping as low as -10°C, similar to conditions last experienced during the “Beast from the East” in March last year.
The Met Office spokesman added: “From Tuesday onwards it is looking colder, with sunshine and wintry showers. Scotland will start to see some severe night frost, particularly as it gets colder towards the end of the week.
“Hill and mountains are generally at higher risk of snow showers. From Tuesday, this could be seen at lower levels, with an increased risk of snow showers.”