New weather warning for ice issued across Scotland

The Met Office has extended a yellow weather warning for ice to cover the whole of Scotland.

The warning begins at 4pm on New Year’s Day and ends at 10am on Thursday, and covers the west coast and south of Scotland, as well as the north east of England and close to Birmingham.

The new warning is in addition to a yellow weather warning for snow and ice, which covers the Highlands and Grampian regions.

Flood warnings from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) have been downgraded, with 25 remaining – reduced from 32 around 7.30am.

However, nine flood alerts remain.

The Met Office warned of “icy surfaces leading to some difficult travel conditions” with the new warning.

On Thursday, a yellow weather warning for ice stops near Manchester.

Northern Scotland is expected to be hit with snow on New Year’s Day, including Inverness, Aberdeenshire and Caithness and Sutherland in the Highlands and Moray, which are covered by a Met Office yellow weather warning for snow, from 4am on Wednesday until 9am on Thursday.

The Met Office’s yellow warning that covered most of Scotland on New Year’s Eve, causing the capital’s outdoor celebrations to be cancelled, has now been lifted.

Regions above 984ft (300m) could see as much as 4in (10cm) of snow, it is predicted.

The Met Office said: “Rain turning to snow is likely to lead to some travel disruption and difficult driving conditions on New Year’s Day.”

It added: “A band of rain will turn increasingly to snow at low levels as it moves south Wednesday morning, then clearing to snow showers in the afternoon, which will continue overnight and through to Thursday morning.

“1cm-3cm are likely at low levels with 5cm-10cm above 300m, leading to difficult driving conditions and some travel disruption.”

On New Year’s Eve, some parts of Wick in the far north of Scotland were so badly flooded that ScotRail said no rail replacement buses would be running.

Trains will resume on January 2, with no services on New Year’s Day.

Despite the cancellation of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay street party and fireworks, which left international tourists who had planned holidays around the events trying to find last-minute alternatives, organisers said New Year’s Eve was a success.

A spokesman for Unique Assembly, which organises Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, said: “We were thrilled to be able to keep the party going indoors this year, despite the adverse weather conditions and cancellations facing Edinburgh’s Hogmanay outdoor events.

“It’s been a challenging week for everyone involved – from tourists and locals who planned to ring in the New Year at the famous street party, and staff who have been working hard to ensure events can still take place.”

Leader of the City of Edinburgh Council, Jane Meagher, said: “While this year’s Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations were a little different from usual, with the outdoor events sadly cancelled, it has been a memorable one for local people and visitors to the city alike.”