Scotland has shivered through the coldest January night in the UK in 15 years as temperatures dropped to minus 14.5C, with dozens of schools closed across northern regions on Friday.
A Met Office yellow weather warning for ice and snow expired at 10am but freezing conditions again caused disruption for school pupils, including in the Highlands and Aberdeenshire.
In the Highlands, 45 primary schools are closed on Friday along with eight secondary schools, 35 nurseries and two special schools, while 11 schools are closed in Aberdeenshire.
In Altnaharra, a hamlet in Sutherland, the most northern region of the Highlands, overnight temperatures dropped to minus 14.5C overnight into Friday – the coldest night of the winter so far in the UK.
It was the coldest January overnight temperature since 2010 – which was a month that saw temperatures drop below minus 15C several times at locations across the UK, including minus 22.3C on January 8 in Altnaharra.
In Tulloch Bridge, south of Fort William, also in the Highlands, the temperature dropped to minus 10.3C at 5am on Friday.
Overnight into Saturday, temperatures could drop to minus 12C as the period of very cold weather continues, the Met Office said.
The yellow weather warning for ice and snow began at noon on Wednesday, and saw school transport cancelled on both the Shetland and Orkney islands on Thursday, while hundreds of schools were closed across northern Scotland.
A Met Office spokesperson said about Friday: “Many parts will be dry and very cold with plenty of sunshine. Cloudier at times across Speyside with the odd light snow shower. A few isolated lingering freezing fog patches. Icy stretches. Maximum temperature 1C.
“This evening will be dry. The rest of the night will be dry and very cold with a widespread frost, severe in places. Freezing fog patches, light winds. Minimum temperature minus 12C.”
Looking ahead to the weekend, they said Saturday will be mainly dry, bright and cold, but the thaw will begin on Sunday.
