Scotland has woken up to witness blizzard-like conditions this morning i.e. on 24 February as a Met Office warning for snow and lightning remains in effect. Another ‘danger to life’ alert is in place throughout Thursday for many regions of Scotland, and the Met Office have forecast power cuts and serious travel disruption.
The warning has been in place since 5 pm on Wednesday and will last until 8 pm tonight, and the combination of high winds and snowfall and frequent lightning could result in “thundersnow” in many places.
The Met Office has updated their forecast and added a warning for ice, extending from 8 pm on Thursday until 9:30 am on Friday.
Clear skies after heavy snowfall and cold temperatures will cause a big freeze, and icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths could lead to an increased chance of accidents and injuries.
A slight chance of injuries and danger to life from lightning strikes remains, and some rural communities could face significant power outages and become ‘cut off’.
Travel disruption is also expected, with the Met Office predicting rail, air and ferry services to be significantly disrupted and possibly cancelled.
A Met Office spokesperson said: “Temperatures across Scotland and Northern Ireland are expected to drop sharply following a squally band of rain on Wednesday, with frequent heavy and blustery snow showers arriving from the Atlantic.
“Away from immediate west-facing coasts, 1 to 3 cm, and in places, 3 to 7 cm of snow is likely to build up even at low levels, whereas on higher ground, some areas could see 10 to 20 cm building up by Thursday morning.
As the warning winds down, snow is expected to turn to rain and sleet on Friday evening.
The high winds and heavy snow have been causing travel disruption across the country this morning, with heavy traffic building up on motorways and some bridges being temporarily closed. The Erskine Bridge was temporarily shut due to the high winds but has since been re-opened.
