Commuters face chaos as temperatures set to plummet

By JULIA HORTON AND FRANK URQUHART
Published on 23/01/2013 10:53

COMMUTERS awoke to further travel chaos on Tuesday as more heavy snow closed roads and schools across Scotland – and temperatures are set to plummet again.

Forecasters warned that temperatures were set to drop to -10C in parts of Scotland on Thursday and the mercury could plummet to -18C on Thursday night.

Snow drifts and icy conditions following overnight blizzards continued to make routes around the country impassable yesterday, including seven stretches along main roads in Aberdeenshire, one of the worst-hit regions.

The A9 was closed in both directions just south of Pitlochry in Perthshire after a road accident which caused lengthy tailbacks, with surrounding roads also blocked by the ­weather.

More than 150 primaries and secondaries were shut by the winter weather nationwide, including 88 in Aberdeenshire, 24 in Perth and Kinross, 16 in Angus and 13 in Moray.

The Scottish Borders was also hard hit with all school transport cancelled, nine primary schools staying shut and most secondaries only admitting junior pupils, with senior pupils told to work from home.

The A7 between Hawick and Langholm was blocked for several hours after a lorry overturned and several minor roads remained closed due to drifting snow.

Leon Brown, meteorologist at The Weather Channel, said: “On Thursday night -10 to -15C is likely. Temperatures of -18C are possible as an extreme [on] Thursday.”

THE SCOTTISH FORECAST

WEDNESDAY: Mostly dry and cloudy with a few wintry showers bringing one or two more centimetres of snow in the east, especially in Aberdeenshire, Angus and the eastern Highlands. Down to minus three or four at night.

THURSDAY: Generally dry again with a few light flurries of snow down the eastern coast from Aberdeen to East Lothian. Less cold.