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Amber Snow Warnings Close Schools and Suspend Northern Scotland Rail as UK Freeze Intensifies

Forecasters warn of further heavy snow that could cut off rural communities.

Overview

  • Met Office amber warnings cover Shetland, Orkney, the Highlands and Aberdeenshire until 10am Monday, with wider yellow alerts for snow and ice across the UK.
  • Aberdeen’s schools and early learning settings will open at 11am with breakfast clubs cancelled, while many schools in Shetland, Orkney, the Western Isles and Aberdeenshire remain shut.
  • Network Rail Scotland says services on the Aberdeen–Dundee, Aberdeen–Inverness, Inverness–Wick/Thurso and Inverness–Kyle of Lochalsh lines are unlikely to run until midday as snowploughs clear deep drifts.
  • Forecasters expect 5–10cm of snow fairly widely and 20–30cm in places, with drifting, temporary blizzards, travel delays, possible power cuts and potential impacts to mobile coverage.
  • An amber cold-health alert is in force across England from the UKHSA, with NHS leaders warning of increased pressure on hospitals as temperatures struggle to rise above freezing.