Severe weather warning

Police, along with other agencies and partners are gearing up for what is forecast to be a severe and somewhat unusual spell of weather across the region over the next 48 hours or so.

Starting in the early hours of Thursday 16 December 2010, a band of rain is forecast to sweep through the whole region from about 0600 hours through to 0900 hours. The tail end of this band is likely to bring sleet and snow with it. Rain will fall on already freezing road conditions, which will make for very dangerous driving conditions.

Freezing conditions will return within two hours of this band of rain and will again cause widespread dangers of black ice on road and pavement surfaces. High winds are expected to accompany this rain and snow and through Thursday and into Friday. Frequent snow showers are forecast, with anything between 5cm and 10cm falling with some areas experiencing up to 20 cm of snow on Friday.As a result of this forecast there is a high probability for major travel disruption across the area. The sequence of rain falling on freezing surfaces followed by a further period of freezing temperatures and then snow means that the effect of road gritting operations will have minimal effect. Road gritting prior to the rain would wash away, and when operations do start there will be a period of time before the primary routes can be fully gritted and it takes effect.

The travelling public are therefore asked to very carefully consider the necessity of their journey over the next 48 hours. The advice is to only travel if absolutely necessary, and where travel is necessary drivers should be fully aware of the road conditions. Clear looking road surfaces are likely to be affected with black ice at the start of this weather front, and then snowy road surfaces are likely to have ice below them.

Likewise pedestrians are asked to take care as pavements, car parks and town centre areas are likely to be affected by these same conditions, making it very slippery underfoot.

Journeys should be carefully planned over the next few days in order to minimise the risk of crashes and falls.

Current information regarding road conditions across Scotland can be obtained through Traffic Scotland on 0800 028 1414, or logging on through trafficscotland.org.