The north will be in the grip of winter within 24 hours as temperatures plummet.
An icy blast coming in from the Arctic will bring a steady decline in conditions, with 4in of snow expected in some places.
The deterioration will start today, according to the Met Office, with snow falling on higher ground in the north-west before heading south to the Inverness area this evening.
Heavy sleet and snow will begin to fall in the western Highlands as the rest of the north braces itself for some freezing blasts.
By tomorrow morning, the wintry showers will be widespread over the Inverness and Moray areas, with treacherous road conditions caused by the falling temperatures.
In coastal areas, sleet or rain is forecast, but some inland communities will have to cope with heavy snowfalls. There will be no respite either, according to Meteogroup, which also said that average temperatures would be about 3C lower than normal for November.
A spokesman said: “On Wednesday night, there will be some fairly heavy snow showers in northern Scotland, with up to four inches falling and some chance of drifting over the hills.
He added: “Conditions look pretty horrible across the region.” The police have warned motorists to be prepared before taking their vehicles on the roads by making sure they carry a shovel, de-icer, ice scraper and a first-aid kit.
Meanwhile, the north’s ski centres will be giving the snow an enthusiastic welcome as piste enthusiasts were grounded by mild temperatures at the weekend.
CairnGorm Mountain ski resort’s runs were all closed to snowsports.
However, a message on its website added last night: “On a more optimistic note, most forecasts suggest it’s cooling down and snowing to low levels next week.”