Snow and severe gales with gusts of up to 70mph are predicted to batter parts of Scotland in the run-up to Christmas.

The north west - the Western Isles in particular - is expected to be hit with stormy conditions including rain, sleet and snow.

Forecasters have also warned the weather could worsen for north and western parts of Scotland later in the week and into Christmas Eve, as conditions are expected to deteriorate from Tuesday onward.

West coast ferry operator CalMac has warned weekend passengers to be aware of possible disruption.

STV's weatherman Sean Batty said the poor weather is likely to cause travel disruption as people go home for Christmas.

He said: "After what seems like months of generally quite quiet weather conditions, the jet stream is about to power up and is set to move south towards us, putting us in the direct line for some very unsettled conditions.

"Not only will we see stormy conditions at times but also, rain, sleet, snow, hail and thunder, which is bound to add to travel woes in the big Christmas rush to get home."

Storm force winds are expected to hit the northern Hebrides on Tuesday, with gusts of up to 70mph possible in South Uist. This is also likely to coincide with heavy rain in the west of Scotland.

Sean added: "During the rest of the week the winds will stay generally strong in the north and west, and will be particularly gusty in passing showers.

"Another peak in wind gusts will hit the north west on Wednesday night into Thursday with winds reaching severe gale force at times. There will also be a significant wind chill developing by this stage."

The winds are expected to peak again on Friday and into Christmas Eve, which may be stronger than the previous spells.

Sean said the developing weather picture will be monitored over the coming days.

He said: "As we go through the week we'll be able to firm up on the details for this wind event, and anyone that will be travelling in the coming days should stay tuned to all the latest forecasts."

CalMac operations director Drew Collier added: "Weather forecasts for the west of Scotland are predicting a stormy week for many especially as we near the weekend when people will be travelling for Christmas.

"We will review sailings on a case by case basis but would advise anyone planning to travel by ferry to take this into account when planning journeys in the next few days."