More than 20,000 pupils off school as snow hits Scotland
Many roads have been affected by the wintry conditions, including the A9 at Daviot
More than 20,000 children are off school or nursery today as snow hits the North and North East of Scotland.
Many roads have been affected by the wintry conditions, including the A9 at Daviot and a fallen tree near the Tore roundabout blocked traffic this morning.
Councils across Highland, Moray and Aberdeenshire have decided to close or adjust opening hours due to the weather, with more than 100 shut across the country yesterday.
Forecasters have warned further warnings are "likely through this week."
A yellow weather warning for frequent snow showers, possible hail and icy conditions is in place for much of north and west Scotland until midday, with the Met Office warning of difficult travelling conditions.
Between 2cm and 5cm (up to 2ins) of snow is expected widely and it could reach 10cm in some parts of the north-west mainland, with higher ground seeing 15cm to 20cm (up to 7.8ins), the Met Office said.
A yellow warning for ice with a "few sleet or snow showers" remains in effect until 10am covering most of Scotland, the East and West Midlands, the East, north-east and north-west of England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Yorkshire.
Met Office chief meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said: "A northerly airflow will continue to feed snow showers into Scotland over the next few days, with this reaching lower levels at times and bringing the potential for some travel disruption.
"Overnight temperatures will drop below zero fairly widely over the next few days, which has resulted in some ice warnings, with further warnings likely through this week."
Met Office meteorologist Clare Nasir said there would be brighter skies outside the warnings areas across the country on Thursday morning and into the afternoon
But she added that a "severe frost" was also likely before more "bitterly cold" temperatures on Thursday evening.
More than 100 schools or nurseries were closed in Scotland on Wednesday because of the weather, with 52 shut in the Highland Council area, 51 in Aberdeenshire, 11 in Moray and two in Shetland.
Insurance and roadside assistance company RAC said on Wednesday that drivers were suddenly facing "some of the worst road conditions we've seen all year" and that a sharp rise in vehicle breakdowns was reported on Wednesday morning as drivers' batteries failed.
The AA predicted "a major increase in (its) workload" due to sub-zero temperatures, snow and ice, and urged drivers to check forecasts before travelling and to do so with "extreme caution" in the hardest-hit areas.
RAC Breakdown spokeswoman Alice Simpson said: "The first taste of winter means drivers are suddenly contending with the some of the worst road conditions we've seen all year.
"With freezing temperatures already causing disruption in the east and north of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and snow showers now affecting regions further south, we advise motorists to plan well as ice forms on untreated surfaces."