Heavy snow and freezing temperatures caused the country’s transport network to grind to a halt.
On the M876 alone, 650 cars and 350 lorries became stuck on the five-mile stretch of road near Falkirk. Disruption will continue into Wednesday, with the closure of the M8 westbound overnight. Meanwhile, nearly 300 petrol stations in Scotland reported fuel shortages, after the Grangemouth refinery was forced to close.Police said main roads were now passable, but urged people to stay indoors. 
Temperatures overnight plummeted to -13C in Edinburgh and -11C in Glasgow, many drivers abandoned their cars after being stuck on gridlocked roads for hours when heavy snow and ice made routes in central Scotland impassable.
In Glasgow, 40 people had to spend the night in Buchanan St Bus Station after services were cancelled.
More than a third of Scotland’s schools closed Today (Tuesday), with about 900 shutting their doors and more than 200,000 children away from classes.
Schools in many areas will remain closed on Wednesday. Police have advised motorists not to venture out on the roads today unless it is absolutely essential.Central Scotland Police are advising that all motorways and slip roads affected by the adverse weather conditions are now open.Lothian and Borders Police has been informed by Bear Scotland that following an assessment of the situation, the M8 west bound between junctions one and five will not re-open tonight.
The Scottish Ambulance Service yesterday appealed for members of the public to restrict 999 calls to “genuine” emergencies – while some fire services said they had been swamped by calls.
