January 17, 2005
By Scottish Press Association Reporter
The Scotsman
Blizzards and severe gales were expected to sweep across Scotland tonight as yet another severe weather warning was issued.
North and western areas could see winds gusting up to 70 mph overnight with up to 10cm of snow in some places.
Central Scotland will also be affected by drifting snow, especially on higher grounds.
The warnings come a week after the same parts of the country were battered by hurricane-force winds.
Last week, five members of the same family died in severe weather.
Archie and Murdina MacPherson, their children Andrew, seven, and Hannah, five, and grandfather Calum Campbell, died on South Uist in the Western Isles on Tuesday.
The five were swept away by tidal waters as they tried to escape hurricane-force winds in two cars after their seafront home was flooded.
Yesterday prayers were said for the family at church services across the island.
Schools in the Western Isles are to close tomorrow and Northern Constabulary said it was offering precautionary advice to people on the Western Isles based on information received from Stornoway Coastguard.
And the picture is similar for tomorrow with snow predicted overnight.
Scotland will have early sleet and snow showers, with blizzards over higher ground in the west.
However, the showers will turn to rain at low levels, and sheltered eastern areas will stay dry with the best of the sunshine.
It will also be windy, with gales across Scotland and south-west England.
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