THE city is being braced for its first big freeze of the year as forecasters warn snow and ice are on the way.

So far Glasgow has avoided the worst of the blizzard conditions that plunged the rest of the UK into chaos.

But the reprieve could be over as yellow warnings for snow are placed over the Strathclyde area.

Rain was expected to turn to snow this morning, and the cold spell should last throughout the day.

Forecasters have warned that high winds could create a risk of snow drifts and motorists are being urged to take care and keep up with travel news.

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for snow throughout today.

But the cold snap is expected to be fairly short-lived, with temperatures set to rise over the weekend.

Tomorrow, temperatures should return to normal levels, but on Sunday, rain combined with thawing snow, could lead to a risk of flooding.

Laura Caldwell, a forecaster with MeteoGroup, said: "Today is going to be very cold and windy, with snow expected in Glasgow.

"The snow will be heavy throughout much of the day.

"In Glasgow, from first thing until late at night, we will see around 15cm of snow falling, with more expected on higher ground. There's going to be a maximum temperature of 3°C and it will feel very cold.

"Tomorrow morning, there's still going to be some snow and sleet, but it should ease off through the day.

"Temperatures will rise slightly tomorrow, with a maximum of 5°C."

Meanwhile, freezing conditions continue to cause disruption in other parts of the UK.

And rain and melting snow is expected to lead to rising water levels in rivers in south-west England.

On Tuesday, more than 150 schools in Scotland were closed due to snow and ice.

The Borders, high ground in the Lothians, Perthshire and Aberdeenshire were the worst hit areas and they faced the biggest number of road closures.

matty.sutton@ eveningtimes.co.uk