Overview
- The Met Office’s latest yellow alert takes effect from 10pm Wednesday until midday Thursday, covering virtually all of Scotland with snow and ice risks.
- Forecasters expect 1–2cm of additional snow in places, 5–10cm above roughly 100m and up to 20cm over 200m, with dangerous icy patches as thawed snow refreezes overnight.
- Hundreds of schools in northern areas are closed for a third day, including all Aberdeenshire schools and many in the Highlands, Moray, Aberdeen, Orkney and Shetland.
- Network Rail says most lines are running but deep drifts continue to affect the Inverness–Kyle and Inverness–Wick/Thurso routes, with the Kyle Line reopened by around 2pm Wednesday; the A836 Lairg–Tongue remains shut and snow gates are closed at key passes including Spittal of Glenshee–Braemar, Cock Bridge–Tomintoul and Bridge of Dye.
- Aberdeenshire has declared a major incident, warning some rural communities could be cut off and power cuts are possible, as ministers and emergency partners coordinate the response led by Justice Secretary Angela Constance.