Siberian blast set to freeze Scotland

Scotland is facing gale force winds, snow showers and sub-zero temperatures as a big freeze grips the nation.

Forecasters have warned temperatures are expected to plunge as low as -8C tonight, the lowest of the year so far.

Severe gales and icy blasts are set to batter northern Scotland and yellow warnings of ice are in place across swathes of the region.

Met Office forecaster Kirk Waite said the freeze was set to continue into this week.

He said: “There will be severe gales in the north of Scotland overnight from Tuesday into Wednesday and more showers pushing in.”

The lowest temperature recorded this year was -7.7C at Altnaharra, in Sutherland, in February.

Last night, residents of the remote Highland hamlet which recorded Britain’s lowest ever temperature of -27.2C in 1995 were preparing for the worst. Margaret Duffy, 65, said: “I’ve put a box of blankets out so we can at least keep warm.”

The vicious weather has been caused by driving wind and rain pushing in from the Atlantic while a system sweeping down from the Arctic has brought freezing temperatures.

Huge swathes of the UK have been hit by flooding with Scotland and northern England the worst-hit areas.

Bookmakers have now slashed the odds on there being a white Christmas. But the winter weather doesn’t seem to be bothering everyone.

Scotland’s only polar bears Walker and Arktos have been entertaining themselves on snow slides at the Highland Wildlife Park in Kingussie, Inverness-shire.

Head carnivore keeper Una Richardson said: “I don’t think Arktos has seen a Scottish blizzard before, but they are well equipped for it.”

Meanwhile, winter sports fans were heading for the slopes yesterday as the season began.

Hundreds were at CairnGorm Mountain near Aviemore and The Lecht and Glenshee in Aberdeenshire.

Ross Coulter, marketing executive at CairnGorm Mountain, said: “The good news is that there is some heavy snow forecast ahead.”