Scotland's weather: Milder weather coming after April snow

Brothers Ivor and Gwen Foley on their way to school in heavy snow in Leadhills, Lanarkshire. Picture: Hemedia

The Met Office said temperatures would reach 10-11C over the next few days, in a return to nearer the seasonal norm.

Snowfall was mainly confined to higher ground above 100m (330ft) across eastern and southern Scotland, with some also reported in Lanarkshire.

Up to 10cm (4in) fell at Soutra on the A68 in the Borders. That followed snow covering Coll, Tiree and Mull in the Hebrides on Thursday, which is unusual there for late April.

Heavy snow in the village of Leadhills, Lanarkshire. Picture: Hemedia

The Met Office said it was more likely to snow in April than November, and temperatures had been only slightly colder than average this month.

A spokesman said: “Following the snow, it became a bit warmer thanks to milder air.

“It will be drier on Saturday, and milder but wetter on Sunday, with the heaviest rain in western areas.

“Temperatures will get back to closer to the seasonal norm, at around 10-11C.”

Residents on the Isle of Coll were suprised to see a blanket of snow on the beach near Coll Bunkhouse. Picture: Hemedia

By Bank Holiday Monday, the wet and windy weather is expected to cover much of the eastern half of the country, although brighter conditions will move in from the west.

In England, flights were cancelled or delayed after 15cm (6in) of snow fell at Leeds Bradford Airport overnight, forcing the runway to close for part of yesterday.

Elsewhere, short bursts of snowfall were seen in places as far south as London.

Motorists were warned by police to take extra caution following a spike of weather-related collisions in the north of England on yesterday morning.

Spring lambs in heavy snow near Abington, Lanarkshire. Picture: Hemedia

Network Rail, which manages Britain’s rail tracks, claimed it would be “one of the least disruptive bank holidays for railway travel for many years”.

However, buses will replace trains between Glasgow Central and various parts of north-west England between tomorrow and Monday due to work on the west coast main line.