Get ready to shiver

Scotland is set to shiver through a chilly November and December thanks to the weather phenomenon which caused the 2010 Big Freeze.

With the winter’s first snow falls expected on Tuesday, the Met Office is warning of colder than normal weather over the next two months.

Forecasters said a significant reason for the cold was La Nina – the cooling of the eastern Pacific Ocean – which reduces Scotland’s mild westerly winds and allows bitter northerlies to hit instead.

The Met Office said La Nina is set to impact Scotland again now, although this La Nina is not expected to be as strong as the 2010 event.

That November saw -13C lows, snow 2ft deep in Balmoral, Aberdeenshire, and 15 inches of snow in the Borders.

Five weeks’ near-nationwide travel chaos continued through December 2010, the coldest for 107 years.

Met Office professor Adam Scaife said: “La Nina effects reach across the globe.

“A really big La Nina like in 2010-11 is very unlikely, but the chance of a moderate strength event is several times the historical chance.”

Channel 4 weatherman Liam Dutton said: “La Nina events increase the chances of a colder start to winter for the UK.”

Scottish councils and transport chiefs are being briefed by the Met Office about potential snow, ice and travel impacts.

The 2010 Big Freeze caused chaos