UK hit by snow as Met Office issues yellow alert for ice
Snow fell across parts of the country and temperatures struggled to get much above freezing as a band of wintry weather hit the UK on Tuesday.
A Met Office yellow warning for ice came into force at 4pm on Tuesday and continues until 11am on Wednesday, covering much of the country.
Travellers faced some disruption as roads were closed and flights delayed due to the icy conditions.
Afternoon treatment underway on the #M80 in the sun. Could see a few wintry showers but mainly clear, dry and cold for the rest of the day and overnight. Further grits planned for the early hours #winterinfopic.twitter.com/RzdVX7WABk
— Amey SE Trunk Roads (@SETrunkRoads) January 22, 2019
Gritters out in force across Scotland overnight were restocking supplies to return and treat the roads.
Snow was not confined to the hills in Scotland on Tuesday, with flurries in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
There was also snowfall on the Pennines in the north of England.
By mid-morning Police Scotland had received 125 reports of road incidents, with the force urging motorists to slow down and drive to the conditions.
Across Scotland, we have received 125 road crash incidents since 0700hrs this morning , many due to adverse weather. Please slow down and drive to the conditions. A yellow weather warning remains in place until 12noon today. pic.twitter.com/yn6Pc9V2dv
— Police Scotland Control Rooms (@polscotcontrol) January 22, 2019
The A83 was blocked in Argyll and Bute, while the B974 in Aberdeenshire closed after vehicles got stuck in snow.
Flights to Glasgow and Edinburgh from Stornoway Airport were delayed and three schools were shut in the Highlands due to the weather.
Aberdeenshire was one of the coldest spots on Tuesday, where the temperature was expected to plunge to minus 5C.
Gritters to be out on primary routes tonight and from 4.45am, & city centre pavements from 4.45am. Road surface temp forecast for -7.2C o'night in Bridge of Don area & not getting above 0C before 11am in rest of city. Roads are mostly dry but be aware there might be icy patches. pic.twitter.com/3kyuEWTBJ9
— Abdn City Council (@AberdeenCC) January 22, 2019
Met Office meteorologist Simon Partridge said: "The showers will continue to make their way further eastwards.
"An ice warning covers Northern Ireland, western Scotland and much of England and Wales.
"The showers will on the whole fade away over night, just persisting down those western coasts, and it will be another cold night.
"Towns and cities will be around or just below freezing. But outside the cities temperatures a good few degrees below that.
"In Scotland you may see a few spots drop as low at minus 9 or minus 10C."