Snow for Scotland: Cairngorm may reopen for skiing

Snow has blanketed Scotland in one of the most startling turnarounds in temperature we've ever seen.

Just last week Scotland broke its record for the highest-ever March temperature, but yesterday and today the snow has returned.

Overnight snowfall left up to six inches of snow in higher areas of Scotland as temperatures fell to -5C. The cold weather is expected to move south.    

The heavy late fall of snow gave Scotland's ski resorts a brief boost after they struggled through a disappointing winter. Colin Matthews, the operations manager at CairnGorm Mountain resort near Aviemore, told the BBC he was delighted: "It's very wintry, I'm glad to say. Very cold at the top of the mountains - minus six and drifting snow . . . It's very unusual not to have skiing in April so this is looking good."

Today, Cairngorm Mountain released a statement saying, "Conditions are continually being assessed and we will look at conditions tomorrow. Snowing and drifting at present."

Glencoe Mountain Resort released this statement: "Three or four inches of snow fell last night but not nearly enough to resume skiing."