People are being warned to expect disruption with weather warnings of snow and ice in place for much of Scotland from Friday into Saturday.

The Met Office has warned some roads and railways are likely to be affected while there is a chance of power cuts and disruption to mobile phone services.

Weather warnings of snow and rain south of the border have expired, though flood warnings and alerts remain in place throughout much of England.

In Scotland, a yellow weather warning for snow and ice stretching from the Orkney Isles down to Stirling comes into effect at 3pm on Friday and remains in force until 6pm on Saturday.

A separate yellow warning for snow came into effect at 12pm on Thursday and will remain in place until 3pm on Friday.

That warning covers most of the central belt and parts of the Scottish Borders but also extends north, merging with the other weather warning.

Traffic Scotland said on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the Cairn o’ Mount snow gates in Aberdeenshire have been closed.

Train operator Scotrail announced on X that it intends to run most services as normal, with the only changes taking place on its West Highland Line.

Ferry operator Calmac has announced a number of delays and cancellations due to the adverse weather.

The company advised its passengers to check the status of routes on its website ahead of travelling.

The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency has issued two flood warnings for Scotland.

Both north and south Luce Bay in Dumfries and Galloway are affected, with the warnings in place until 11.30am on Friday.

Meanwhile, the Met Office has removed warnings in force in other parts of the UK though flood warnings and alerts remain in place in many areas.

There are 81 flood warnings in place, mostly in the South and Midlands, with just a few in the North, while 294 less severe flood alerts are also in place in England and 19 flood alerts are in force in Wales.

The number of warnings is subject to change as the UK Government’s online flood system is updated regularly.

Dozens of schools were closed on Thursday in northern England and North Wales and travel disruption was reported throughout the day as amber weather warnings were issued.

It comes after 10cm of snow was measured by the Met Office in Kirkwall, Orkney, on Thursday, while 9cm was recorded in Bingley, West Yorkshire.

A total of 43.2mm of rainfall was measured in Harbertonford, south Devon, almost half the average for the area in February.

Disruption was also reported by Great Western Railway on the line between Bath and Swindon due to flooding.

Met Office operational meteorologist Dan Stroud previously said temperatures in the early hours of Thursday reached a low of minus 13.8C in Altnaharra, in the Scottish Highlands, while Exeter reached a high of 13.6C later in the day.

He said: “We’ve still got rain and many have snow making its way northwards, we have got further weather warnings in force.

“Temperatures are recovering a little, across the far south it’s generally mild.

“We’ve got a second band of cloud and rain moving northwards, it makes for challenging driving conditions.

“We’ve had the worst of it but it’s still not completely clear. Where we have falling snow we see there is a risk of a few icy patches on roads.

“The focus is probably starting to shift more towards ice, people should still be cautious.”

School closures were reported on Thursday in Wales, Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire and Cumbria.

Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, urged older people to do all they can to keep warm and safe as the temperature drops.

She said: “High energy bills and food prices mean it is understandable that some may think they have to cut back on food and turn their heating off, but prolonged exposure to cold temperatures can have a serious impact on their health, especially if they are already managing existing illnesses.

“As we get older our bodies find it harder to adjust to big changes in temperature, particularly if we are also coping with ill health or mobility issues. The cold raises blood pressure, which in turn increases the risk of a heart attack or stroke.”

Automotive company RAC also issued a warning to drivers, urging them to take the “utmost care” when travelling.

A spokesperson added: “The clear message to drivers is never put yourself or your passengers at any risk as getting stranded in a flood can sometimes quickly escalate into a life-threatening situation.

“If you do reach a road covered in water and can’t be certain how deep it is, turn around and find another route.

“This way you’ll avoid anything bad happening, including major damage to your vehicle.”