The snowy winter weather is expected to continue causing problems across the north and north-east throughout the week.
The Highlands was worst affected by the showers which fell across the region yesterday, with two secondary schools and 14 primary schools closed due to “severe road conditions”.
Meanwhile, the snow gates at the Cairn o’Mount pass in Aberdeenshire closed at about 9am, amid warnings the road was not passable at its summit, but they reopened three hours later.
A spokesman for the Met Office warned last night that the north-east would be the chilliest part of the country this morning as the cold snap continues.
He said: “There will be quite a cold, frosty start to the day with temperatures just below freezing and the odd icy patch around.
“We are looking at outbreaks of rain moving in from the west which could turn to snow, not just on the hills but on lower ground as well during the morning.”
The spokesman added that the temperature will gradually pick up as the day progresses, before dropping again on Thursday and Friday.
And he confirmed that up to eight inches of snow could fall across hilly areas during the latter half of the week.
Amidst white-out conditions, roads police officers in the north-east warned motorists to reduce their speed with wet roads expected to freeze as the mercury plummeted.
Heavy snow badly affected Ross and Cromarty, while Caithness suffered from slush on the roads.
Drivers on the A9 route at Carrbridge had to take particular care due to snow on the carriageway.
Heavy showers struck Lochaber in the morning, with all gritters being deployed on primary routes.
People in Elgin woke to the sight of streets covered in snow, however the majority of the flakes had melted by the afternoon.
In Tomintoul and the Speyside area, the temperatures were not sufficient to melt the dusting.
Cromarty Primary School, which has been closed since Friday due to flooding caused by a burst pipe, is now due to re-open to pupils on Thursday morning.
