Scotland is facing a fifth consecutive day of widespread school closures and significant travel disruption on Friday, 9th January 2026, as the nation continues to grapple with severe wintry conditions.
Widespread Disruption and Ongoing Warnings
Over 250 schools are expected to remain closed, with the majority of closures concentrated in the north of the country. This includes more than 150 schools in Aberdeenshire, dozens across the Highlands and the city of Aberdeen, and a number in Moray. For many pupils, this will mark an entire week away from physical classrooms, although remote learning has been implemented in numerous areas.
The disruption follows several days of intense snowfall, widespread ice, and sub-zero temperatures. The Met Office has issued a fresh yellow warning for snow and ice, covering much of Scotland from 8pm on Thursday until midday on Friday. This alert extends as far south as just below Fort William and reaches west to Glasgow.
Transport Network Gradually Recovers
The extreme weather has caused major travel chaos across the region. A section of the A74(M) motorway was closed in both directions on Thursday following what Police Scotland described as "multiple collisions due to icy conditions," but it has since reopened. While all priority routes in Aberdeenshire and the Highlands are now open, many local roads remain affected, and snow gates are still closed on the B974 Bridge of Dye.
There is some positive news on the railways, with lines across the country having reopened. The northern section of the Far North Line between Brora and Wick/Thurso was finally cleared of snow on Thursday evening. Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop thanked Network Rail Scotland for their "huge effort in very challenging conditions."
Government Focus Shifts to Recovery
Ministers attended a meeting of the Scottish Government's Resilience Room on Thursday afternoon to coordinate the response. Justice Secretary Angela Constance provided an update, stating that progress to fully recover continues following five days of challenging conditions. However, she warned that impacts would continue to be felt in the coming days due to the ongoing yellow warnings and an unpredictable weekend forecast.
First Minister John Swinney emphasised that the focus is now turning to recovery efforts after a period of "really intense and heavy snowfall," particularly in the North East, Highlands, and islands. He cited the sheer volume of snow as the primary challenge and noted that formidable resources had been deployed to clear key transport routes.
The situation had escalated earlier in the week, with Aberdeenshire Council declaring a major incident on Tuesday over concerns that some rural communities could be cut off and power supplies disrupted. Assistant Chief Constable Alan Waddell of Police Scotland encouraged the public to check on neighbours or relatives safely where possible, as some services may still be impacted.
