Snow alerts upgraded to amber as Scots warned of blizzard conditions

Amber snow warnings have been issued for parts of northern Scotland as the country braces for several days of wintry weather.

Parts of the north east, Highland, Perth and Kinross and Angus are expected to be blanketed with up to 20cm (7.9ins) of snow in low levels, with blizzard conditions forecast from 12:00 on Friday until 12:00 on Saturday.

Ferry services have already been disrupted as snow begins to dust the north of Scotland.

A less severe yellow warning is already in place for most areas north of Dundee throughout New Year’s Day, lasting until midnight on Sunday.

CalMac has said that services leaving Stornoway and Ullapool on Friday had been cancelled due to strong winds forecast and that other sailings were likely to be disrupted at short notice.

The Met Office has warned that travel delays on the roads are likely during the amber alert, and that snow could result in vehicle strandings.

It said rural communities could become cut off and that disruption to air and rail travel was likely.

Forecasters said on Thursday showers would turn increasingly to snow, with locally gale force northerly winds setting in.

By evening accumulations are expected at low levels and the winds could lead to drifting. Lightning could be another potential hazard.

Those in affected areas have been told to expect travel delays and treacherous conditions for pedestrians, with warnings that some rural communities could be cut off over the coming days.

Arctic air is spreading across the UK bringing the beginning of a lengthy period of colder weather.

Amber cold health alerts from the UK’s Health Security Agency (UKHSA) cover the whole of England.

New year revellers in southern England saw temperatures below freezing around midnight and there is a widespread frost on the first morning of 2026.

Overnight lows fell to -6.2C in Bournemouth and -2.5C in Cardiff, with temperatures widely below zero elsewhere across southern England and South Wales.