Big freeze on way as Scots face coldest night

SCOTS are being warned to wrap up for some of the coldest nights of the winter so far, with the mercury forecast to plunge way below freezing.

Tonight and tomorrow night could see temperatures as low as minus 10C but on Tuesday night we may see a record to beat this year’s low of minus 13.7C at Altnaharra and Kinbrace, Sutherland, on January 20.

Alex Burkill of the Met Office said: ‘We are seeing predictions for minus 12C but I would not be surprised if it became the coldest night of the year.

‘We are on the end of polar continental air from Scandinavia, which means things look very cold for the rest of the month.’

The Met Office has issued a weather warning for snow and ice for most of Scotland tomorrow night, stretching into Tuesday afternoon.

Areas affected include Central, Tayside and Fife, Grampian, Highlands and Islands, South-West Scotland, Lothian and Borders and Strathclyde.

The Met Office yellow ‘be aware’ warning suggests this spell of weather could result in longer journey times on the roads and railways.

Yesterday, ‘snow tourists’ were enjoying the wintry conditions. Gillian Porter, who travelled up from Bristol with her daughter Laila, said: ‘We love the snow and regularly come up to Aviemore.’