GRITTERS were out in force across Glasgow overnight following weather warnings of nosediving temperatures again - and snow today.

 

A yellow snow warning was issued for the city for 10am (WEDS), and a council spokesman said last night they were carrying out heavy gritting, with more this morning on priority routes.

He said snow ploughs were also being brought out to help clear the roads.

The Met Office warned a cold front was expected to sweep throughout the country yesterday, with temperatures dropping below zero in some parts last night.

They said the temperature in Glasgow was expected to stay just above freezing overnight and warned of frequent sleet and snow showers today, with gale force winds.

A spokeswoman said the heaviest showers would be tonight and overnight, with the worst predicted for tomorrow morning. (THURS)

Temperatures are expected to rise slightly on Friday, with the snow and sleet turning to rain on lower grounds.

Billy Payne of forecaster MeteoGroup said: "The cold front will be going through and there will be a much colder air mass with snow showers, or at least wintry showers, spreading from the west.

"We will certainly notice a drop in temperatures from in the region of 10C to, by the end of Tuesday, 4C or 5C and widely dropping below zero overnight - down to minus 5C in high ground in the north."

While the cold weather is set to remain into early next week, Mr Payne said, it is unlikely the UK could see any impact of the heavy blizzards hitting much of the north-eastern coast of the US.

The widely anticipated storms however were not as bad as feared in New York and the mayor was hit with accusations of officials over-reacting to the threat.

He said they "dodged a bullet."

As New York awoke to a blanket of snow less deep than feared, forecasts were downgraded and a transport ban was lifted in the city.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said: "This is a better-safe-than-sorry scenario.

"We did what was necessary to keep everyone safe."

Blizzard warnings for New York City and New Jersey were lifted, with some public transport resuming in New York.

A teenage boy was killed in a sledging accident on Long lsland, one of the worst-affected parts of New York state.

On Monday, an emergency was declared in a swathe of north-eastern states, and meteorologists predicted up to 90cm of snow. Officials later revised the snow forecasts but the emergencies last night remained in place.