Icy patches and wintry showers could lead to travel disruption over the next couple of days, the Met Office has warned.
The agency has issued a yellow alert for parts of Moray, Aberdeenshire and the Highlands. It covers from 10pm on Tuesday to 10am on Wednesday.
A number of schools in the Highland have been closed due to the bad weather or having no water, heating or power.
The affected schools are:
- Gairloch High School: Closed (bad weather)
- Gairloch Primary: Closed (bad weather)
- Gairloch Primary Nursery – EM: Closed (bad weather)
- Gairloch Primary Nursery – GM: Closed (bad weather)
- Kyle Primary: Closed (no water/heating/power)
- Kyle Primary Nursery: Closed (no water/heating/power)
- Plockton High School: Closed (no water/heating/power)
- Plockton Primary: Closed (no water/heating/power)
- Plockton Primary Nursery – GM: Closed (no water/heating/power)
Meanwhile in Aberdeen, the Blizzard ride at the city’s Christmas village will not be in use today.
A statement from Aberdeen Inspired reads: “The Aberdeen Christmas Village is open today as normal. All attractions will operate as usual with the exception of the Blizzard ride which is closed.
The Aberdeen Christmas Village is open today as normal. All attractions will operate as usual with the exception of the Blizzard ride which is closed.
We will continue to monitor the developing weather pattern throughout the day & will make further updates in due course.
— Aberdeen Inspired (@AbdnInspired) December 10, 2019
“We will continue to monitor the developing weather pattern throughout the day & will make further updates in due course.”
Motorists in the north have also reported disruption due to surface water on some of the region’s main roads.
The warning states icy patches are likely to develop during Tuesday night as frequent blustery, heavy showers of rain and hail fall onto cold surfaces, especially untreated roads and pavements. Meanwhile, above 200 metres elevation, showers will fall as snow at times, perhaps with 2-6 cm of snow above 400 metres, blown along by strong, gusty winds.
Meanwhile a yellow warning for wind remains in place for Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. The Met Office said winds will strengthen through the morning with gusts of 50-60 mph likely inland, and 60-70 mph around some coasts and over higher ground.
“The strongest winds will probably occur ahead of an intense band of rain that is expected to move quickly eastwards during the day, winds easing once this clears,” the warning continues.
There is also a further alert for the west coast of the Highlands and the Western Isles for heavy rain and localised flooding.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) has now issued flood warnings for the north, Moray and the north-east.
The alert warns: “River levels are expected to rise throughout the region on Tuesday due to heavy rain throughout the day, and will remain high into Wednesday.
“Localised flooding affecting low-lying land, roads and isolated properties, and disruption to travel, is possible. The upper reaches of the River Spey are most likely to be affected with other parts of the Flood Alert area currently though to be at a lower risk.”