Weather: Met Office warn of 'blizzard’ like conditions as amber weather warning is put in place across Scotland

Prolonged snowfall, heavy rain and icy conditions are expected to hit various parts of Scotland between Wednesday and Monday, bringing potential flooding, delays to train and bus services and affecting power supplies.

The Met Office warn of 'blizzard conditions' as amber weather warning is put in place across Scotland

The transport network is expected to face disruption after the Met Office issued an upgraded amber warning for snow in parts of Scotland.

The upgraded amber warning covers parts of the Highlands, Grampian, Tayside, Central and Fife, running for the whole of Friday until 6pm on Saturday evening.

A yellow warning for snow will remain in place for most of mainland Scotland until midday on Sunday.

Met Office spokesman Oli Claydon said the wintry conditions were being driven by a "cold pool of air" over Scotland, with the area of low pressure bringing the snow risk moving slowly southwards by the end of the weekend.

Potential impacts of the amber warning include long delays and cancellations on bus and rail travel. Roads may be affected by deep snow, particularly over higher routes, and some rural communities might be cut off.

Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity Michael Matheson, said: “The Met Office is warning us that this period of challenging weather is set to continue, and become more difficult for parts of the country at the end of the week and into the weekend.

“It’s important to remember the current coronavirus restrictions mean you should only be leaving your home for an essential purpose. Please consider if your journey is absolutely necessary before setting off, especially if you’re in the amber warning area.”

The series of warnings comes after the UK endured its coldest January in ten years.

A message from the Editor:Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.