Highland winter road conditions report - Friday 16 December 2022

Maps of the Council’s gritting routes by priority and policy are available online at www.highland.gov.uk/gritting.

The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.

Road condition reports for Friday 16 December 2022 are as follows:

Badenoch and Strathspey

Posted - 7.25am - Fresh snow overnight accumulating to 2cm. All routes to be treated with priority given to Primary and Secondary routes. B9007 still closed from snow gates at Dunearn to A938. No known overnight issues.

Caithness

Posted - 8.45am - light snow showers throughout the area overnight causing slippy conditions all over. All routes are currently being treated. Caution is advised on all routes this morning.

Inverness

Posted - 7.49am - Dry overhead this morning but snow showers expected through the network. Covering all routes and footpaths. Caution is advised while driving. No known issues at this time.

Lochaber

Posted - 8.16am - Light snow showers overnight. All routes have icy patches. Primary and secondary route treatments ongoing.

Nairn

Posted - 7.22am - Negative temperatures throughout the area with the odd patch of ice and frost. All routes to be treated with priority given to Primary and Secondary routes. No known overnight issues. 

Ross and Cromarty (East)

Posted - 8.15am - Very low temperatures causing widespread frost across the area. All routes being treated. Caution is advised on any untreated surfaces.

Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh

Posted - 9.40am - Approx 1-2 inches of snow fell through the night. Icy conditions across the ward's road network. All units are out gritting routes across the area. No reported overnight issues. 

Skye and Raasay

Posted - 8.24am - Road temperatures beneath minus overnight. Treatments ongoing on Primary and Secondary routes, before continuing to other routes. Footways are also being treated. No issues to report overnight. 

Sutherland

Posted - 9.22am - Very cold temperatures this morning with hard packed snow/ice affecting most routes. All routes being treated including footpaths. Updated at 3.30pm: The A836 Lairg to Tongue road has reopened but remains passable only with extreme care. Snowploughs and gritters will continue clearing and treating this road until 9pm tonight, as per Council Policy, and will recommence at 6am tomorrow morning.

The UK Met Office has issued Yellow weather warning (external link) for Sunday 18 December for much of the Highland region. 

School closures

As of 09:00 this morning there are 5 secondary schools, 27 primary schools and 25 nursery schools closed or partially closed.

The school closures page on the Council’s website at: www.highland.gov.uk/schoolclosures is updated from 7am and cleared each evening by 6pm.

Get alerts of closures on Highland Council’s Twitter and Facebook. Or phone 0800 564 2272 to get the latest pre-recorded message from head teachers regarding their school. Have the school's PIN ready when you call.