High winds to hit Scotland

Biting winter cold hit northern Britain early Thursday after a snowstorm that closed schools and roads in Scotland.Forecasters predicted winds of as much as 100 mph later in the day, The Scotsman reported. Police were expected to warn against any driving during the worst part of the coming storm."The decision is a matter for individual authorities but the warnings are of the highest level of seriousness and we are clear that safety has to be the paramount issue," Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said after an emergency meeting.The Met Office issued severe weather warnings for northwestern England and the Pennine Range, the so-called backbone of England, which extends from Derbyshire north to the Scottish border, The Guardian said.Schools on the west coast, already closed due to the snow, should remain shut, officials said. On the east coast, children were expected to be dismissed at lunchtime.ScotRail and other transportation companies began cutting schedules for Thursday because of reduced speed limits. The storm was expected to disrupt flights into and out of Scottish airports and ferries in the Hebrides, Orkneys and Shetlands.