Motorists and pedestrians alike faced fresh misery on Monday as early-morning snowfall made conditions treacherous.
Among the areas affected was Perth, where pavements and roads were once again covered in a slippery mixture of ice and fresh snow.
Although a gradual thaw is predicted, there were few early signs of better driving conditions for motorists on the A9 south of Perth, which was effectively reduced to one lane for much of the morning.
“I was driving to Perth from Stirling and the conditions were absolutely terrible,” Claire Edwards said. “The A9 between Dunblane and Perth was in an awful state.
“It didn’t look like it had been cleared at all and there was thick snow in the outside lane. I thought we had seen the last of the white stuff. It is all very well for a bit but a month is pushing it a bit.”
Conditions in Perth were similarly difficult to contend with.Groundhog Day”I couldn’t believe it when I looked out of the window and saw yet more snow it was like Groundhog Day,” one fed-up resident said. “The snow was coming down pretty thickly and I had to get to the town centre for work.
“Conditions on all the roads were fairly bad there seems to be a kind of brown sludge everywhere. It is not very nice to look at and is really slippery.”
The local man said that the town centre’s footpaths were similarly affected.
“Walking was not much easier than driving,” he added. “Judging by the low number of people on the High Street, many had just decided to give shopping a miss and stay indoors.
“I know this is generally a very busy time for local shops but I think the conditions have proved to be a literal stumbling block for many.”
As snow turned to sleet or rain, there was a good deal of surface water on many routes. Meanwhile, with the thaw predicted to continue, there are fears that localised flooding could occur.
Despite the doom and gloom, there were also happier tales, with some people reporting the return of hot water “for the first time in days.”
“Frozen pipes meant our supply was off over Christmas so it was great to turn on the taps today and actually see something come out,” said one delighted mother-of-three.
“It has been a bit difficult over the last few days so to say I am pleased would be a huge understatement.”
Motorists who had to go back to work were faced with surface water on many of the main routes to Angus, following overnight rain and sleet showers.
Traffic was quiet but those who did have to venture out were slowing down and making sure they did not get into any difficulties, with light snow, slush and surface water evident on many roads.Jack-knifed lorryThe A92 Dundee to Arbroath was passable all the way, with gritters out from the early hours, but there were a few problems on the A90 after a lorry jack-knifed at Brechin.
One lane at the southbound route was closed at around 6.30am between the A935 junction in Brechin and the B957 junction in Finavon, while police worked to clear the road.
There were also reports that police were turning some lorries back because of the conditions. Things were cleared up by rush hour with traffic again running smoothly after the earlier difficulties.
A police spokeswoman advised motorists to plan journeys in advance and be aware of the changing road conditions. She said, “The roads may be deceptive because they look wet but there may still be ice on the roads as well. Drivers should look out for, and be aware of, black ice. People should make sure they exercise caution if going out on the roads.”
Train services were running smoothly in Tayside and Fife, with passengers facing only minimal delays. Experts at the Met Office predicted the thaw is likely to continue over the next few days, with temperatures expected to sit at around 3C.
More rain is forecast across Tayside and Fife for today and higher ground may see some flurries of snow. The Scottish Government said local and national agencies, and the government, had made preparations to deal with the effects of the thaw, and that these were in place.
Burst pipes are expected to be a major concern. Peter Farrer, Scottish Water’s director of customer service delivery, said, “We would like to reassure our customers that we have put contingencies in place to meet the challenges. We have manpower, vehicles and materials in place so repairs are performed as soon as possible.”
Melting snow flowing into rivers and lochs is also of concern to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, which is monitoring water levels.
The Scottish Government said Scotland’s road network was prepared to deal with the challenge and gritters would continue to treat roads at risk of icing.