Heavy snow caused chaos for north-east motorists last night as winter arrived with a vengeance.
Blizzards filled the skies across much Aberdeenshire and Moray from early evening and there were also falls in Aberdeen.
The A96 between the city and Inverness was closed for about two hours at the Glens of Foudland between Huntly and Colpy after a number of vehicles got stuck.
Motorists left stranded in the snow were assisted by police and gritter teams, who worked throughout the evening to free them.
The road was re-opened shortly after 10pm.
Police urged motorists to take extra care on the region’s roads.
Temperatures overnight were expected to drop as low as -5C in Inverness and the surrounding area, and in Braemar the mercury was forecast to plunge to -3C.
However, conditions in the northern isles were expected to be relatively better, with temperatures in both Shetland and Orkney hovering above freezing through the night.
More wet and wintry weather is expected tonight, with some showers predicted for the western Highlands and Western Isles as well as subzero temperatures.
This could bring more icy patches which could continue into tomorrow, potentially causing hazardous road conditions on rural roads.
But it’s not all bad news, as next week has been predicted to be a little bit hotter.
Gordon McKinstry, a meteorologist based at
the Met Office in Aberdeen, said: “We’re expecting things to warm up from Sunday going into Monday, and a band of rain will come in from the Atlantic and move east across the country.
“There will be some snowfall, but this will be confined to the hills and mountains.”
Further into next week, Mr McKinstry said the weather would be more unsettled, with long spells of rain expected
on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Aberdeen City Council is offering community groups the chance to claim free one-tonne salt bags to help combat slippery surfaces in their neighbourhoods.