Residents across the north-east have been slammed with two days of wintry weather as snow and ice continues to wreak havoc across the region.
Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire have been handed multiple weather warnings in a row as the region struggles in the wake of the freezing conditions.
Dozens of schools have made the decision to close for a second day due to the dangerous travel conditions for pupils in staff.
Meanwhile, Aberdeen Airport confirmed they had been working throughout the night to “clear snow and de-ice the airfield”, but that due to freezing weather they had been forced to “pause” operations.
A number of flights were cancelled on Tuesday morning, but shortly after 10am the airport confirmed that “operations have now resumed at the airport”.
Morning flights to Stavanger, Bergen and Amsterdam were among those cancelled on Tuesday, and the airport has advised all travellers to check the status of their flight with their airline.
Now, a new Met Office yellow warning for snow and ice has been issued for the region, with large parts of Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire affected. Read below for all the latest information on the warning.
What time does the new warning end?
The new Met Office yellow warning for snow and ice came into effect at 12pm today and continues until 12pm tomorrow (Tuesday, January 7).
It is the latest in a long string of warnings, with the beginning of the year seeing a dramatic change in weather conditions for the north-east.
What areas are affected?
The latest warning encompasses north Aberdeen as well as northern Aberdeenshire. Affected areas include Dyce, Westhill, Alford, Inverurie, Peterhead, Fraserburgh, and Banff.
However, areas in south Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire including Stonehaven, Laurencekirk, Banchory and Ballater have avoided the warning.
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What to expect
The Met Office has advised residents to prepare for the following:
- Some roads and railways likely to be affected with longer journey times by road, bus and train services
- Probably some icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths
- Some injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces
A statement from the weather experts reads: “Sleet and snow showers will continue for the rest of Tuesday, before becoming confined to northern and northeastern parts of the warning area on Wednesday. Further accumulations of 2 to 5 cm in places, and 5 to 10 cm above 200 metres across northern Scotland. Where any modest thaw has occurred, icy stretches are likely on untreated surfaces.”
What should I do?
The Met Office advises: “Keep yourself and your family safe when it is icy. Plan to leave the house at least five minutes earlier than normal. Not needing to rush reduces your risk of accidents, slips, and falls.
“If you need to make a journey on foot, try to use pavements along main roads which are likely to be less slippery. Similarly, if cycling, try and stick to main roads which are more likely to have been treated.
“Snowy, wintry weather can cause delays and make driving conditions dangerous. Keep yourself and others safe by planning your route, giving yourself extra time for your journey. Check for road closures or delays to public transport and amend plans if necessary.
“If driving, make sure you have some essentials in your car in the event of any delays (e.g., warm clothing, food, water, a blanket, a torch, ice scraper/de icer, a warning triangle, high visibility vest and an in-car phone charger).
“Be prepared for weather warnings to change: when a weather warning is issued, the Met Office recommends staying up to date with the weather forecast in your area.”