Temperature drops to -12C on coldest night of winter

Temperatures plunged to a freezing -12C last night during an icy chill that is expected to linger for much of the week.

Last night has been dubbed the chilliest night of the year so far as snow and ice continues to line the roads.

The coldest temperature was -12C at Loch Glascarnoch and by 8.00am it had reached -12.2C.

The frosty climate trumps the previous record of -9C, in Moray on December 27.

Met Office issued a yellow warning for snow and ice across Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray, where temperatures today will see highs of only 2C.

Calum MacColl, operational forecaster for Met Office, said: “As we lead our way into the coming days again, we’ve got snow warnings out for much of northern and eastern Scotland.

“It’s going to be a pretty cold week all in all.”

The hazardous conditions have closed several north east roads and shut down Aberdeenshire school transport.

Motorists have been urged to take care, with freezing temperatures and icy conditions in many areas.

The extreme cold follows last week’s high winds that battered the country and caused travel chaos for commuters nationwide.