Snow and high winds have caused problems across Scotland Enlarge Image

But the Met Office said the recent wintry weather which has caused chaos on roads and harbours across the country is due to end.

Drivers had been urged to take extra care, with many roads still affected by snow.

Dumfries and Galloway, Perthshire and Stirlingshire were worst affected with sleet, snow or ice on the roads.

Grampian Police warned drivers that the A96 just north of the Glens of Foundland was treacherous on Friday night, with a number of vehicles having left the road.

Meanwhile, Aberdeen Harbour has been closed and ferry sailing between Shetland, Orkney and Aberdeen had also been cancelled.

No vessels are being allowed in or out of the main base for supplying North Sea oil and gas installations.

Badly affected

The harbour board said it was monitoring the situation to decide when it can re-open, adding that such closures were rare.

Commuters were also warned that the M8 at Harthill was badly affected.

Up to four inches of snow fell across Dumfries and Galloway, leading to two motorists being injured in separate accidents when their cars skidded on the roads.

Firefighters helped free the trapped driver of a car on the B729 road near Dunscore.

And on the A709 between Torthorwald and Lochmaben a car left the road and crashed into a field.

Fresh snow overnight caused problems on the roads

In Soutra, in the Scottish Borders, the A68, which had been closed both ways, has now been reopened.

Grampian Police warned that snow and heavy rain had affected roads in the region, with the B974 Cairn O' Mount road among those closed after being severely affected by the weather.

However, the A93 at Glenshee is due to reopen from the east side.

There are also a number of roads across the region affected by surface water due to heavy rain.

Bad weather forced the operators of the Cairngorm ski area to evacuate more than 200 people from the hills.

Heavy snow first fell in the north east, Lothian, Borders and Perthshire on Thursday.

'Improving picture'

The Met Office said the wintry weather conditions were expected to ease with rain and milder temperatures set to replace the chill of the last few days after some final snow showers on Friday evening.

A spokesman said: "Another band of snow is set to move up into Scotland from the south-east this evening but it will mostly affect higher ground.

"In general, it is an improving picture with temperatures rising and only some localised frost.