Around 400 homes in northern Scotland remain without electricity as Arctic weather conditions continue to batter the UK, disrupting travel, closing schools and straining local services for a third consecutive day.
The worst-affected areas are in Aberdeenshire and the Highlands, where prolonged snowfall, freezing temperatures and strong winds have left some rural communities isolated.
Scottish Government Considers Military Support
After Aberdeenshire Council declared a major incident on Tuesday, Scotland’s first minister John Swinney said he would be prepared to pass on any formal request for military assistance to the UK government if local resilience partners deemed it necessary.
The statement followed calls from MPs and local leaders who warned that the scale of disruption was stretching emergency and council resources beyond their limits.
Schools Closed for Third Day
Schools across the Highlands, Aberdeenshire, Moray, Orkney and Shetland remained shut for a third day as snow and ice warnings stayed in place. Parents were advised to check local authority updates as further closures are expected if conditions worsen.
The Met Office has extended a yellow warning for snow and ice across Scotland and northern England until midday on Thursday, with further snowfall forecast later in the week.
Temperatures Fall Well Below Freezing
Forecasters said overnight temperatures could drop to as low as -6C in parts of rural Scotland, with sub-zero conditions expected more widely across the UK. Earlier this week, temperatures plunged to -12.5C in Norfolk, marking one of the coldest nights of the winter so far.
Northern Scotland could see an additional 5–10cm of snow, with higher ground potentially receiving significantly more.
MP Warns Communities Are Cut Off
Andrew Bowie, MP for Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, wrote to the first minister urging urgent action, including the possible deployment of the armed forces to assist with recovery and logistics.
He warned that entire communities had been cut off, with growing concerns over access to food, heating and essential medical supplies as conditions deteriorated.
Storm Goretti Brings Fresh Disruption Risk
Attention is now turning to Storm Goretti, which is expected to bring further disruption across the UK from Thursday. A yellow warning for snow has been issued across large parts of England, including areas such as Sheffield, Peterborough, Bath and Worcester, as well as much of Wales.
Heavy rain is forecast to turn to snow overnight, with some areas potentially receiving up to 20cm. Strong winds are also expected to affect south-west England, including Cornwall, Devon and the Isles of Scilly.
Rail and Travel Disruption Continues
Rail operators have warned of ongoing disruption. LNER has advised passengers not to travel between Edinburgh and Aberdeen until at least Friday, citing an inability to guarantee services.
ScotRail said services between Inverness and Wick, Lairg and Ardgay remained cancelled or disrupted, while trains to Kyle of Lochalsh were suspended for much of Wednesday.
Health Alerts and Cold Weather Payments Triggered
The UK Health Security Agency has extended amber cold health alerts for England, warning that prolonged low temperatures could increase health risks, particularly for older people and those with pre-existing conditions.
The sharp drop in temperatures has also triggered cold weather payments for hundreds of thousands of eligible households, providing £25 automatically when temperatures remain at or below zero for seven consecutive days.
Travel Advice Urged Nationwide
The Met Office has urged people across the UK to check road conditions and public transport updates before travelling, warning of icy surfaces on untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths, particularly in rural areas.
While yellow warnings indicate that disruption is likely to be localised, forecasters cautioned that conditions could change rapidly as further weather systems move in.
