Image source, Getty Images

Chief Superintendent Stewart Carle, head of Police Scotland's Road Policing said: "Overnight and into this morning Police Scotland and other emergency services have dealt with literally hundreds of incidents on the roads across the country and continue to do so with a number of closures due to stranded HGVs and cars. There's also been considerable disruption to other modes of transport including air and rail.

"The Met Office has now increased the weather warning to Red, the first time this has occurred for snow storms, and so we can't stress enough that all travel should be avoided unless it's essential being absolutely necessary and extremely important.

"Employers and public services need to carefully consider how that criteria meets their urgent business needs."

Scottish Transport Minister Humza Yousaf said: “This is the first red warning that has been issued for snow under the current system which means that conditions in affected areas will be extremely treacherous.

“I would urge people to follow police advice and avoid travel in those areas affected by the red and amber warnings. We recognise it will have an impact on people travelling to and from work over the next 24 hours and so I would encourage employers to be as flexible as possible with their staff.

“If you need to travel, your journey is likely to be disrupted and in many instances there may be cancellations, there is the possibility you could be stranded and this could interfere with emergency services and those clearing the roads. I would urge parents to continue to check school notices with their local authorities before making any decisions on travel.

“In these severe conditions I would also encourage people where possible to check in with elderly neighbours or anyone who may be particularly vulnerable.

“Winter maintenance fleets are working 24/7 to treat the trunk road network and will be standing ready to assist motorists if required. We have more gritters available this year than ever before.

“To access the most up to date travel information, you can use the Traffic Scotland mobile website - my.trafficscotland.org - or the @trafficscotland twitter page. If you’re planning to travel by rail, ferry or air, please check with your operator ahead of time. It’s inevitable the weather conditions will also impact on other modes of transport.”

Giancarlo Rinaldi
South Scotland reporter, BBC news website

The running total of school closures due to snow in Dumfries and Galloway has now reached more than 80.

All the schools in the neighbouring Scottish Borders were already shut for the day and will remain closed tomorrow.

Willie Johnston

Dumfries and Galloway correspondent Willie Johnston is out and about around Lockerbie where conditions are deteriorating.

He said the road between Annan and Lockerbie was covered in snow and particularly hazardous.

BBC Weather's meteorologist Phil Avery said the red warning will be in place between 15:00 today and 10:00 tomorrow.

"Right through the heart of Scotland, the Met Office has now gone red," he said. "That means don't travel, it's life-threatening stuff out there.

"Please take heed of that. But even those ambers - really treacherous driving conditions on what is going to be a bitterly cold day.

"Temperatures really struggling today, add in the strength of the wind - the middle part of the week was always going to be really brutal.

"Please bear all that in mind if you think you're going to step outside your door."

The current traffic light warning system only came into force in 2011.

This is the 9th red weather warning of any type for anywhere in the UK since then.

This is the second red warning for snow and the first in Scotland.

The last time the Met Office issued a Red warning was on 29 January 2016 for storm-force winds across Orkney and Shetland

Previous Red warnings were:

• 26 December 2015 for heavy rain across Lancashire and Yorkshire.
• 5 December 2015 for heavy rain across parts of Cumbria and the Scottish Borders (Storm Desmond)
• 12 February 2014 for severe galesacross Wales and northern England
• 18 January 2013 for snow in south Wales
• 7 July 2012 for rain in SW Devon and E Cornwall
• 3 January 2012 for storm-force winds in the Central Belt of Scotland
• 8 December 2011 for severe gales in central and southern Scotland

All train services in the south-west of Scotland have been cancelled, according to Dumfries and Galloway's Virtual Operations Support Team (DGVost), external.

It says the heavy snow has also had a significant impact on bus services. Council and McCalls buses are not running but that decision is being reviewed hourly.

Houstons and Stagecoach buses are running, but this is under regular review.

South Lanarkshire Council says all of its schools will be closed on Thursday.

This couple ditched their taxi and began walking along the motorway towards Glasgow Airport earlier today.

However, no flights have taken off yet.

Image source, Jillian Jackson