Weather warnings for snow and ice were escalated to amber on Sunday, as increasingly severe winter conditions were forecast to affect several parts of Scotland.
Alongside the upgraded alert, multiple weather warnings is sued by the Met Office remain in force across much of the country, including yellow alerts for snow, wind and rain, with freezing temperatures expected to persist into a second consecutive weekend.
The amber-level weather warnings, active from 03:00 until 14:00 on Sunday, cover areas stretching from the North East through Tayside and into Central Scotland.
In response to the heightened weather warnings, representatives from the Scottish government, Police Scotland, local authorities and emergency partners met on Saturday to coordinate preparedness and response plans.
Forecasters said the ongoing weather warnings indicate further snowfall of 2–5cm at lower levels, while higher ground could see accumulations of up to 30cm.
Transport Scotland warned that the severe weather warnings could lead to difficult travel conditions, route closures, power disruptions and a potential risk to life and property.
Current Weather Warnings Summary
The Met Office confirmed an amber weather warning for snow will be in place from 03:00 to 14:00 on Sunday across Central Scotland, Tayside & Fife, Grampian and the Highlands.
In addition, yellow weather warnings for snow and ice will run from 02:00 to 15:00 on Sunday, affecting Central Scotland, Tayside & Fife, Grampian, the Highlands, Orkney, Lothian Borders and Southern Scotland.
Yellow weather warnings for strong winds are also active from midnight until 21:00 on Sunday, covering Central Scotland, Tayside & Fife, Grampian, the Highlands, the Western Isles, Orkney, Shetland, South West Scotland and the Lothians and Borders.
Further yellow weather warnings for rain are in force from 02:00 to 21:00 on Sunday for Tayside & Fife, the Highlands, the Western Isles, Argyll and West Dunbartonshire.
The Met Office cautioned that ongoing weather warnings reflect the likelihood of heavy, persistent snowfall on Sunday, raising the risk of significant disruption and leaving some rural communities potentially cut off.
A spokesperson added that under the current weather warnings, icy conditions are expected to become more widespread, particularly overnight as temperatures drop well below freezing.
Justice Secretary Angela Constance, who chaired the government’s resilience meeting, said the upgraded weather warnings show Scotland is facing a complex, multi-hazard weather event.
She explained that partners remain fully mobilised under the weather warnings, working throughout the weekend to support communities and respond to rapidly changing conditions.
Constance noted that the prolonged nature of the weather warnings, combined with multiple hazards, continues to present major challenges for both residents and emergency responders.
Northern Scotland has already experienced more than a week of disruption under repeated weather warnings, with significant impacts on daily life.
As of Friday, over 250 schools remained closed due to the ongoing weather warnings, including more than 150 in Aberdeenshire, dozens across the Highlands and Aberdeen, and several in Moray.
As a result of the sustained weather warnings, many pupils have missed an entire week of classes at the start of the new school term.
Police Scotland assistant chief constable Alan Waddell urged people to remain vigilant during the weather warnings, encouraging residents to safely check on neighbours and vulnerable relatives where possible.
He added that police have been working closely with resilience partners throughout the weather warnings to assist communities affected by severe conditions.
On Friday, rail services between Inverness and Wick were suspended due to snow linked to the weather warnings, while several local roads also remained closed.
Although major routes in the north and north-east have since reopened, the weather warnings continue to pose challenges in many areas.
Aberdeenshire Council said road disruption remains under the current weather warnings, with crews concentrating on areas still buried under deep snow.
A council spokesperson explained that clearing efforts under the weather warnings involve physically removing snow, as accumulation levels exceed available roadside space.
The council urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel during the weather warnings and encouraged the public to upload photos of road conditions via its online portal to support response efforts.
