Edinburgh weather: Exact time snow expected to hit this week as Met Office warns of disruption

Edinburgh is braced for snow and ice within days with the Met Office warning it could cause disruption.

It follows largely rather cold and dry conditions over the weekend with sub-zero temperatures overnight.

Across Scotland temperatures will plummet even further in the coming days with ‘cold air firmly in place’. Forecasters have issued an alert for snow and ice with a yellow weather warning in place for Edinburgh on Tuesday, 16 January.

According to the Met Office, snow is expected to fall from 3pm to around 6pm on Tuesday with temperatures falling to minus 4 after midnight. The freezing temperatures will continue into Wednesday morning.

From midnight to lunchtime on Wednesday the yellow weather warning will be in force across Scotland as well as large areas in the north of England.

The weather alert states that "further snow showers, perhaps merging into a longer spell of snow, are likely to cause further disruption on Tuesday".

Met Office said: "Snow showers will continue to feed inland early on Tuesday morning across northern and western Scotland, parts of Wales and northwest England where 2-5 cm of snow is possible over a few hours in some places. During the day, an area of more organised rain, sleet and snow is likely to move east with further showers following.

"There is still some uncertainty in the track of more prolonged snow, and it is possible that at lower elevations across Wales and northern England, this could turn to rain for a time. However, there is a chance some places could see 5-10 cm perhaps 20 cm of snow, particularly across the northern half of Scotland and over higher ground elsewhere."

On the BBC it said: “Overnight and into Tuesday, extensive cloud and some long spells of sleet and snow in the west, with rain for coastal areas and the Hebrides. Rather snow will spread southwards and eastwards.”

Travellers are urged to allow extra time and be prepared, as the severe weather could see delays on roads and delays or cancellations to rail and air travel.