Snow and ice is set to be replaced by wind and rain as milder air returns to the Scotland.

Yellow alerts for snow and ice remain in effect across Scotland on Friday, with the Met Office warning wintry showers could bring disruption to transport and travel.

But the cold snap is set to come to an end with high winds set to hit the country on Sunday, along with heavy rain.

A yellow weather warning for rain has been issued for Sunday and Monday, covering most of the country, with a yellow wind warning issued for parts of Scotland including Glasgow and the Central Belt. 

The cold weather will linger longest in the north and the islands, where wintery conditions persist.

Dozens of drivers in the Highlands were unable to get home on Thursday evening, after snow drifts closed the A9 between Dunbeath and Helmsdale.

The road reopened at about 04:30

READ MORE: Motorists stranded in snow on A9 amid 'treacherous' driving conditions

A warning covering northern Scotland has been extended east into the Grampian region and across the Northern Isles.

The warning is in place until 3pm on Friday, while a similar alert across Scotland’s south, including Glasgow and Edinburgh, expires at 12pm.

Elsewhere on Friday, yellow warnings for ice are in place for much of Northern Ireland and the western coast of England and Wales until 10am.

Overnight temperatures in Scotland again fell below freezing, with data indicating that the mercury dipped to minus 10C in Eskdalemuir, Dumfries and Galloway, at around 8pm on Thursday.

However, the mercury climbed upward in the region from then on, with the same village sitting at minus 1C at 5am on Friday, as per preliminary Met Office data.

READ MORE: Snow warnings for Scotland raised to higher level by Met Office

From Saturday to Monday the weather is forecast to turn milder, with wet and windy conditions expected through the weekend and into next week.

The heaviest rain is expected on Sunday – with 30mm to 50mm falling widely and the potential for peaks of 80mm to 100mm over hills, the forecaster said.

Milder conditions will also result in the thaw of lying snow.

Met Office deputy chief meteorologist David Hayter said: “Conditions will stay cold on Friday but a change in weather type is on the way, bringing milder air for the UK during the course of the weekend.

“This change will initially be relatively benign in terms of weather impacts, with a dry Friday and start to Saturday for many in the south of the UK.

“The Atlantic influence will then introduce some wet and windy weather, with a deep area of low pressure approaching from the west on Sunday.

“While detail is still being worked out, we expect windy weather for many and some heavy rain in the west and so we’ve issued warnings for Sunday for wind and rain.

“Watch out for updates to these warnings on Friday and Saturday as the forecast develops.”