As heavy snow falls in the central belt, some of Scotland’s most important commuter routes are affected by wintry weather.
In portions of central Scotland around Glasgow and Stirling, the Met Office has issued a yellow warning for snow.
Police Scotland has issued a travel advisory for the entirety of Scotland, encouraging travelers to exercise caution.
Traffic Scotland reported icy conditions on the M73, M80, M90, and M8.
Additionally, there were issues on southern stretches of the A9, and the police encouraged motorists to avoid the A83 and A85 in Argyll.
Amey, which maintains major roads in the northeast, reported hazardous driving conditions on the A9 at Loaning Head, close to Auchterarder.
Transport officials reported that 240 gritters were being sent from forty depots across the nation.
The snow warning was issued at 05:00 and remains in effect until noon.
“Snow will initially fall too low levels, with five to ten centimeters accumulating in spots today morning over the course of two to three hours,” according to The Met Office.
“By late morning, snow at low levels will change to sleet or rain, but more snow is anticipated above 200 meters, where up to 20 centimeters may fall by afternoon.”
The remainder of Scotland is under a yellow warning for snow and ice until 21:00.
Douglas Cairns of Traffic Scotland reported that there were also isolated incidents on the M80 and M8.
He stated, “The amber warning was issued with an hour’s notice just before 05:00, which has affected people’s travel arrangements.”
We will continue to monitor road conditions and collaborate with our partners to keep them clear.
Melissa Kelly, a nurse at the Forth Valley Royal Hospital, told that the road conditions on her commute to work are “absolutely terrible.”
She said that some employees have been unable to arrive for their shifts.
In the morning, the A85 through the village of Lochawe in the Scottish Highlands was clogged with stalled trucks and automobiles.
Bear Scotland, which maintains the area’s roads, encouraged drivers to verify their route and the Met Office forecast before departure.
ScotRail services are reduced because of a strike.
Some Stagecoach services may be delayed owing to weather conditions, the company advised.
Megabus has suspended all services from Inverness, Aberdeen, and Dundee to Glasgow and Edinburgh.
In addition, all Scottish Citylink northbound trains from Glasgow and Edinburgh to Perth, Dundee, Aberdeen, and Inverness have been canceled.
The runway at Glasgow Airport has been closed as snow and ice are removed. Some flights have experienced significant delays and cancellations.
In the Highlands, Clackmannanshire, Stirling, Aberdeenshire, Orkney, Perth, and Kinross, certain schools were shuttered.
It followed intense snowstorms and blustery winds in northern Scotland.
When hundreds were left without power in Shetland, a major incident was declared, and more than 100 schools were closed across Aberdeenshire, Moray, and the Highlands.
Approximately 1,700 Shetland houses were still without power as of Thursday evening, despite efforts by engineering crews to restore power.
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) stated that its engineers needed to upgrade the network’s “essential backbone” to connect more houses.
However, the energy company has warned that some of them may experience power outages throughout the weekend.
Numerous routes on the island have been severely impacted by snow drifts.
