Weather turning colder - black ice risk

Orkney Islands Council’s Roads is reminding drivers of expected wintry road conditions over coming days.

Snow if forecast his evening (Sunday 4 April) from around 18:00 and continuing on into tomorrow, Easter Monday.

Air temperatures will drop below freezing from 22:00 tonight, reaching as low as -4 degrees overnight, with road surface temperatures dropping below zero.

As a result there will be a risk of black ice and icy patches on roads overnight and into the morning, with snow expected to lie.

Drivers are warned of the likelihood of heavy snow showers and poor visibility tonight. Falls overnight are expected to be around 2", with potential for higher accumulations.

The Council’s gritters have been out this afternoon pre-treating priority roads, and will be out again tomorrow morning from 06:00 to tackle overnight falls.

Looking ahead, the Roads team are bracing for snow right through and including Wednesday, with today’s strong winds of up to 60mph gusts continuing, only much colder tomorrow.

With the cold, wintry weather expected to continue for a few days, the public are reminded they should check in with more vulnerable family, friends and neighbours to offer assistance.

Remember when driving in snow, allow plenty of space, and brake and accelerate gently. You can visit the Police Scotland website for more about winter road safety.