Glasgow and the west of Scotland is to be hit by snow showers and ice amid a weather warning for disruption and dangerous conditions.
Temperatures have plunged to lows of minus 8C as snow has fallen across parts of Scotland this week.
A further Met Office alert for snow and ice was issued on Friday and came into force at 5pm and carrying through into Saturday morning.
A second warning is in place for the Western Isles, the north west coast of the mainland, Orkney and Shetland.
📉 Cold this evening and quickly turning frosty under clear skies
— Met Office (@metoffice) December 1, 2023
⚠️ Showers in coastal areas may bring a risk of ice on untreated surfaces
🌫️ Mist and freezing fog forming, particularly in the south and east pic.twitter.com/kfoKbmrxPa
It comes after the east of the country saw snow showers and ice amid weather alerts on Wednesday and Thursday.
“There’s good agreement from our computer models for this cold spell to last until at least the end of the first week of December, but beyond that we have a big divergence in scenarios,” said STV meteorologist Sean Batty.
“To give you an idea we have one showing afternoon highs on December 11 of 13C in Glasgow and another showing -3C.
“While forecasting beyond the first week of December is pretty impossible we at least know the start of advent will be festive. It’s worth keeping an eye on vulnerable family members, friends and neighbours during this spell to make sure they’re able to stay warm.”
Road users are being warned of icy conditions while people have been asked to take care to avoid suffering slips and fall injuries in one of the first icy periods of the winter.
Police Scotland has issued a warning after a car was stolen in East Dunbartonshire after being left unattended while defrosting. Officers said they found seven vehicles left unattended outside homes.
There is potential for disruption to road, bus and rail networks – with ice patches forming on untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths.
The snow gates on the A939 at Cock Bridge are closed.
A low of minus 8C was reported at Aonach Mor in the Highlands. Other parts of the UK have had their coldest November night since 2010.
Motoring organisation RAC urged drivers to “ensure they’re winter ready as some get their first real taste of snow and ice”, while the forecaster warned that wintry conditions could lead to icy patches on untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths, possibly leading to some longer journey times.
Ladbrokes’ latest betting odds for snow to fall anywhere in the UK on Christmas Day are 1/2, and it says Edinburgh and Newcastle are the “most likely destinations to see snow”.
But the Met Office urged people to take a prediction this far in advance with a “pinch of salt”.
Follow STV News on WhatsApp
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
