First Minister John Swinney has called on the Scottish public to 'remain vigilant' as the country braces for further bouts of wintry weather over the weekend. His appeal came during a visit to Aberdeen on Friday, 9th January 2026, where he personally thanked the teams who have battled severe snowfalls.
Praise for Frontline Workers in North East
With the north-east of Scotland bearing the brunt of the recent conditions, the SNP leader travelled to the AWPR/B-T depot. There, he met with gritter operators, transport staff, police, and other key workers who have strived to keep major roads open and safe. Mr Swinney hailed their 'incredible job' during what he described as a 'period of intense weather' affecting the north, north-east, and islands.
He stated his visit was to see the impacts first-hand and express gratitude. 'Those who have been working very hard to clear the transport network... have done a tremendous service,' Swinney said, recognising the scale of the effort to ensure public safety and minimise disruption.
Fresh Weather Warnings Issued for Scotland
The First Minister's visit coincided with the Met Office issuing new yellow weather warnings. One warning for snow and ice covers most of Scotland from midday on Friday until 3pm on Saturday. A second yellow warning is active between 2am and 3pm on Sunday.
These alerts warn that a band of snow moving over Scotland and northern England could lead to further travel delays and disruption. This comes as some schools remained closed for a fifth consecutive day on Friday, although main routes in the hardest-hit areas have now been cleared.
Government Resilience and Public Advice
Mr Swinney assured the public that the Scottish Government's resilience room is actively monitoring the situation. Ministers are working with local councils and partners in a 'co-operative and collaborative approach' to manage the impact.
His direct advice to the public was clear: 'I would ask members of the public to remain vigilant about the weather conditions, to pay attention to all of the warnings and to adjust their plans accordingly.' While acknowledging that winter weather inevitably causes some disruption, he pledged that authorities would do everything possible to prepare and respond.
The First Minister concluded by thanking the public for their patience and reiterated that the focused co-operation across services was essential to support the areas most affected.
