IT was the kind of scene many in Largs and Millport rarely see - as days of heavy snow and ice resulted in transport coming to a standstill three years ago.

This photo by Liz Gray showed just how heavy the snow was as the Cal Mac ferry arrived in blizzard conditions on a freezing cold February afternoon in 2018. 

All schools in Largs, Fairlie, Skelmorlie and Millport were closed, while buses running from Largs to Ayr came to a standstill, with passengers having to get out on foot near Kelburn to walk home to Largs due to the treacherous road conditions.

Cars were stuck on the hill between the entrance to Pencil View and Rockland Park. People were out pushing their vehicles up the hill, but it has led to a tailback as far as the north of Fairlie. See tailback picture by Jon Robinson below.

Largs and Millport Weekly News:

Spectacular photos and footage of snow drifting on the entrance to West Kilbride was shared on social media, and there were reports of difficulties in the upper roads of Largs including Holehouse Road and Glenacre Drive, while even the Isle of Cumbrae also had a sprinkling of snow.

Largs and Millport Weekly News:

The above picture is from a Stagecoach 585 as it was attempting to enter West Kilbride in the Siberian like conditions.

At 11am, it was reported on social media that Ferry Road in Millport is impassible due to the snow. Islanders were advised to use the coastal route.

There has also been disruption to the Cal Mac ferry service due to the density of the heavy snow showers.

Inverclyde Sports Centre was also closed because of the whiteout.

Largs and Millport Weekly News:

Largs Community Resilience Team were out in force keeping access routes open as far as they possibly could given the conditions, and even had to embark upon a rescue of an elderly resident who lived in Routenburn Road who required urgent hospital treatment. See story here 

As to whether we will see a Beast from the East befall us in 2021, BBC weather reported that a strong area of high pressure looks likely to become established across Greenland with the jet stream looping over it, allowing cold air to drive into northern Europe.

The longer this pattern takes a grip, the more severe the cold pool of air becomes.

However, this cold pool is currently expected to be most intense across Northeast and East Europe with only occasional incursions westwards towards the UK. So fingers crossed we can avoid a second Beast from the East!