The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Snowfall could hit Highlands next week
Warning as councils ready gritters
Forecasters have warned that the first blast of snow this winter could hit the north and north-east of Scotland next week.
Councils are preparing for freezing conditions with gritters out working on the roads.
Temperatures have recently plunged overnight with the coldest this autumn in the UK so far being recorded in Aboyne, Aberdeenshire, on October 7 at -4.3C.
Alex Birkhall, meteorologist at the Met Office, said: “There is a risk of snow at some point next week; it is certainly not out of the question to see snow before the end of October. High pressure winds will have a larger impact further north, and snow at higher grounds in particular is a definite possibility.
“While we have a while before autumn officially ends, things will start feeling slightly more wintry sooner rather than later.”
Autumn in the UK officially begins at the start of September and ends in November.
Mr Birkhall added: “Sheltered towns and villages are likely to be more cold – and nights in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire will likely be around -2C, or -3C for a while.
“Frost will creep up soon enough as well, in the autumn period we will see roughly 10 days of frost, and 25 instances of grass frost.”
The Met Office said it was too early to predict whether winter would rival the severe cold snap which hit the UK earlier this year.
Councils are heeding the forecasts, with an Aberdeen City Council spokeswoman saying: “Our early morning and standby gritting operations start from November 16 until March 20 or later should winter conditions continue, and we provide a 24/7 service during severe conditions.
“We had gritters out one night this season already, and our roads operational services are prepared for winter, with briefings and training sessions being held for our hard-working roads and ground staff who are outside in adverse weather conditions.”
On Wednesday Aberdeenshire Council deployed more than half their fleet of gritters in anticipation of “frosty conditions”.
Preparations are also in hand in the north.
A spokeswoman said: “Highland Council has approved its winter maintenance policy for 2018/19 winter, we have sufficient grit supplies in store and a weather monitoring system across the council’s roads. Staff and equipment are in place and are ready for winter.”
Buckle up and brace yourselves: the meteorological rollercoaster is winding up for another icy plunge. It seems only the time it takes to unfurl a picnic rug ago that Scotland was hotter than Spain for weeks on end. An unprecedented summer that even saw Highland Games cancelled because it was too hot seemed to stretch on and on. Might we pay the price come this end of the year? Does the beast from the east have a big, bad brother eyeing a trip to these shores? It might seem premature even to think about what winter has in store while the leaves are still so spectacularly hued. However, the gritters are already out and the frosts are with us already. So if you are the sort to “smile when wreaths of snow, Blossom where the rose should grow”, then get ready for some fun. And if you are responsible in any way for people’s safety when the cold times come, please, please make sure that we are properly prepared for whatever comes.