Britain is braced for the arrival of Storm Barbara, which is expected to bring winds of up to 90mph to some parts of the country.
The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings for much of the UK, with Scotland expected to bear the brunt of the storm.
An amber "be prepared" wind warning is in place for northern and western parts of Scotland for Friday afternoon, evening and overnight into Christmas Eve.
Two separate yellow "be aware" wind warnings are in also place, while flood alerts have been issued for the Highlands and Western Isles, as well as Skye and the Scottish Borders.
The Scottish Government said it is being regularly updated on the expected impact on travel across the country.
Meanwhile, Scotrail has withdrawn a small number of services and placed speed restrictions on others as a safety precaution.
South of the border, councils were said to be "fully prepared" for the onset of harsh conditions over Christmas.
The Local Government Association, which represents hundreds of councils in England and Wales, said it was issuing renewed advice on how to deal with flash floods.
Environment spokesman Martin Tett said: "Councils are fully prepared to protect residents and minimise disruption caused by Storm Barbara and other potential bad weather such as snow and flooding.
"Council staff will be out in force clearing roads of any debris and damage."
Storm Barbara's arrival comes on what is expected to be the busiest day for traffic over the festive period.
The AA predicts about 12 million cars will be on the roads due to a combination of people visiting loved ones, shopping trips and holidaymakers, as well as those travelling to and from work.
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