Clear skies, low winter sunshine and a layer of snow made a wander about Broughton and the ascent of Calton Hill an absolute pleasure this morning.
And the slippery descent, something of a nightmare. The steps down to Waterloo Place appeared not to have been gritted, and were particularly treacherous.
Conditions in Old Calton Burial Ground were deep and crisp and uneven.
The crane hook in the background is actually huger and further away than it looks in the photo below. It’s based somewhere in the St James building site.
Overall, it was a fine day for speculating about which neighbours operate cannabis farms in their attics.
And for the first time in living memory, there were no tourists perched on the National Monument.
The view of the Castle was pretty spectacular …
while the Pentlands formed an attractively sub-arctic backdrop to the Old Town rooftops.
Arthur’s Seat was looking broody and mysterious …
and for those who enjoy snow and aren’t worried about damaging themselves in it, there is apparently more to come in the near future.
The Met Office this afternoon issued a yellow warning of snow overnight.
Yellow warning of snow
1800 on Wed 17 January to 0600 on Thu 18 January
A spell of snow, persistent and possibly heavy, is expected during Wednesday night and early Thursday. The snow is expected to clear east before dawn on Thursday.
Travel delays are possible on roads with a risk that some vehicles and passengers could become stranded. Delays or cancellations are possible to rail and air travel. Some rural communities could become cut off. Power cuts may occur and other services, such as mobile phone, may be affected. This warning has been updated to change the warning area by pulling the northern boundary south across Scotland and including the whole of Northern Ireland, whilst also shortening its validity time to 0600 on Thursday morning.
UPDATE
Police Scotland have now advised drivers in much of the southern and central belt – including Edinburgh and Midlothian – to avoid travelling on the roads tonight, following a warning from the Met Office of severe weather between 9pm and 5am tomorrow. What follows is reproduced unedited and in full.
The Stage Four AMBER warning has been issued as a result of severe snow showers forecasted for these areas overnight and Police Scotland advises that if you do travel, you are likely to experience severe delays of several hours or more.
Congestion caused by vehicles may restrict emergency, recovery or winter maintenance vehicles from providing essential assistance or from clearing roads.
Drivers of HGVs should drive with extreme caution and be aware that you may be requested to park at a suitable position by the police.
Head of Road Policing, Chief Superintendent Stewart Carle, said: ‘Weather conditions over the last few days have been extremely challenging, and this forecast of even more extreme conditions over the next day or so in these areas mean that we have to advise drivers to avoid travelling, and if they do, to expect severe delays of several hours or more.
‘We urge people to think very seriously as to whether their journey is really necessary and is worth the risk, and if they decide they really have to travel, to be fully prepared to be self resilient. If you need medication for example, ensure you have it with you.‘No-one should ever place themselves at risk on the road and it may be worth considering postponing your journey or making alternative arrangements such as delaying travel until conditions improve or using public transport.
‘If you are travelling on the roads you should ensure you and your vehicle are adequately prepared for the conditions, making sure you have sufficient fuel and supplies such as warm clothing, food and water in the event you are delayed for several hours. Charge your mobile phone and plan your route as well as alternative routes . Listen to media broadcasts, especially local radio, and visit the Traffic Scotland website.’
Weather forecasts are constantly being monitored at Traffic Scotland and will be updated as and when things change