Scotland (Parliament Politics Magazine) – The Met Office warns of snow and ice in Scotland as hundreds of schools remain closed for a third day, amid travel disruptions and power outage risks.
As reported by Nick Forbes of The Independent, schools across northern Scotland remain closed for a third consecutive day as authorities warn of more heavy snow and icy conditions.
What did the Met Office warn about snow and ice?
According to the Met Office, a yellow weather warning for ice and snow will hit the northern half of the country from midnight through 11 pm.
Meteorologists have warned that an additional 5–10 cm of snow could fall on ground above 100 m, with higher locations above 200 m possibly receiving up to 20 cm.
Forecasters have issued a separate yellow ice warning for southern and western Scotland, effective from midnight until 10 am.
The closures include all schools and council-run nurseries in Aberdeenshire, along with several schools in Aberdeen, Highland, Moray, Orkney, and Shetland.
On Tuesday, Aberdeenshire Council declared a major incident, warning that rural communities may become isolated and power cuts are possible.
Across the country, snow on Tuesday caused major disruption to road, air, and rail travel, with some train lines closed after drifts up to 1.2 m blocked the tracks.
Northern Scotland’s train services will remain disrupted until the end of Tuesday, as National Rail confirmed overnight work is underway to clear the tracks.
The coldest parts of Scotland on Tuesday night were Dalwhinnie and Tulloch Bridge, where temperatures fell to minus 11.2 °C and minus 10.7 °C.
On Tuesday, subway services in Glasgow were suspended due to ice on the third rail, triggering a power outage.
By lunchtime, SPT reported that the outer circle line in Glasgow was running again. The Met Office has a yellow warning for snow and ice from Dundee to the Isle of Skye.
The Met Office said,
“An area of snow is likely to persist across northern Scotland during Wednesday, spreading down the east coast through the day.”
The forecaster added,
“This falling as rain or sleet at low elevations, especially around coasts, but is likely to fall on to frozen surfaces, bringing the potential for widespread icy conditions to continue.”
What did Police Scotland say about the impact of the snow?
Police Scotland warned that the effects of the snow will continue to be felt over the coming days in the north and north-east, urging the public to follow travel guidance.
Assistant chief constable Alan Waddell said,
“Local resilience partnerships are continuing to meet to co-ordinate and deliver the response to disruption experienced by communities in the north and north-east of Scotland following heavy snowfall over the weekend.”
He added,
“We have been working closely with resilience partners across local authorities, other emergency service partners, transport partners, NHS and health and social care partnerships, and other local organisations to support communities affected by adverse weather and keep public services open where possible. Some services may be impacted by adverse weather and I would encourage the public to check on neighbours or relatives, if they are able to do so safely.”
How did ministers and authorities respond to Scotland’s severe snow?
Authorities, including ministers, police, local councils, and utility firms, met on Tuesday to plan responses to the extreme weather.
Justice Secretary Angela Constance, who chaired the meeting, said challenging weather conditions are expected to continue this week, and ministers will keep a close eye on developments while coordinating with local authorities in severely affected areas.
John Swinney said,
“Please be aware of amber warning of snow affecting much of the north of Scotland today and the yellow warning of snow and ice across most of Scotland. I am very grateful to all public bodies and volunteers for the support that is being provided. Please stay safe.”
How is the weather in Aberdeen today?
Yellow weather alerts for snow and ice remain in effect in Aberdeen, which is experiencing harsh wintry conditions through 7 January 2026.
The temperature in Aberdeen stands at 4°C (39°F), feeling closer to -2°C (28°F) because of the wind chill. Light snow and sleet showers are likely, with northeast winds of 18–22 mph and gusts up to 27 mph.