Cold snap to hit Scots drivers again 10 | 12 | 2010

THE FALLOUT from the perfect storm which brought chaos to the Central Belt continues, despite temperatures nudging up slightly and traffic slowly inching along Scotland main motorways.

Temperatures are expected to ease upwards over the next three days to an almost tropical 8C tomorrow, but the cold snap is expected to return on Sunday night. The Met Office said temperatures would dip again to -4C on Sunday night, with showers of rain, sleet and snow in eastern Scotland on Monday night.

On the roads, the M9 was closed north of the Newbridge roundabout, causing severe delays. Jack-knifed lorries continued to cause major problems, including on the M73 and M74 in North and South Lanarkshire, and the A9 near Dunblane.
The M876 was closed for a time because of lorries struggling to climb a hill, while a breakdown on the A80 at Auchenkilns, near Cumbernauld, caused long delays.
The 20-mile westbound stretch of the M8 between Edinburgh and Harthill reopened after being shut since Monday, but Lothian and Borders Police reissued warnings to drivers.
"Motorists are again urged to exercise judgment as to whether their journey is essential or not," a spokesman said.

Caption: Alan Douglas, driving the Scotcars Land Rover Discovery, highlights how many of the back roads in Scotland remain snowbound. This is the back road to Strathblane from Mugdock village last night; temperature minus 8.

Catch Alan on John Beattie's show on Radio Scotland on Monday lunchtime

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Jim McGill