The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Look out winter hats as snow set to cause whiteout
Weather: Met Office expects flakes tomorrow
Residents in the north and north-east should look out their winter hats and scarves as the first snow hits this week.
The regions can expect wintry weather in the coming days, culminating in a whiteout of snow over Friday and Saturday.
The flakes will begin to fall tonight over high ground in Aberdeenshire, Moray and the Highlands before gradually settling lower down.
Aberdeen residents could wake up tomorrow morning to white pavements before high levels fall overnight, leaving more snow on Saturday. Looking north, the Met Office predicts a similar picture across the Highlands while Orkney and Shetland will be blasted bysnowshowers “at all levels” during the weekend. A forecast for the Grampian region on Friday and Saturday reads: “Rain on Friday turning to snow at progressively lower levels, significant falls, hill blizzards. Cold and frosty over the weekend, still some wintry showers especially Saturday morning then turning lighter.”
However the higher areas of Aberdeenshire, such as Braemar, could be spared the worst of the downfalls with wild winds blowing the snow to eastern areas of the country.
A Met Office spokesman in Aberdeen said theywere considering issuing warnings to motorists ahead of expected snow showers.
He added that today would be relatively mild for the time of year but will begin to turn chilly as day turns to night.
He said: “I think it will be more than a dusting of snow on Friday, in fact there will be a reasonable amount by our predictions.
“There will be a spread of snow blown by the wind particularly in eastern areas.
“By Friday we should see snow at sea level and by Saturday we will definitely be turning white.
“Moray will be less affected but there still should be some (snow). Basically, the further west the better for avoiding the snow.
“The Highlands will be much like Moray.
“But we will be seeing some snow coming in on the mountains with areas of Caithness and Sutherland getting some lying.”
“Rain on Friday turning to snow at progressively lower levels”