The ‘Beast from the East’ has already made a major impact on Scotland’s sporting weekend, with nine Scottish Professional Football League matches called off on Thursday.

Friday night’s big game in the Ladbrokes Championship between Dundee United and leaders St Mirren was the first to fall foul of the heavy snow and eight Saturday games followed including the Premiership encounter between St Johnstone and Hamilton.

Edinburgh followed Glasgow in seeing their Guinness PRO14 game postponed while the William Hill Scottish Cup quarter-final card is also in doubt, with the Scottish Football Association in close contact with the clubs involved.

Road crews were still working to free several hundred vehicles which became stranded on the M80, the main route north of Glasgow, and a severe amber weather warning was extended to Friday morning in large parts of central Scotland.

Aberdeen wrote on Twitter: “In light of the adverse weather conditions, the situation regarding Saturday’s William Hill Scottish Cup Quarter Final tie is being continuously monitored however it is unlikely that any final decision on the match will be made today.

“We will remain in contact with @OfficialKillie and the @ScottishFA ahead of the match and will keep supporters updated as the situation progresses.”

Celtic reported that their pitch was in good condition ahead of the scheduled visit of Morton on Saturday but travel problems and road conditions could put paid to games, while teams have been unable to train. Rangers are due to host Falkirk on Sunday just after Hearts visit Motherwell.

Postponed matches at Pittodrie and Fir Park are pencilled in to be played next Tuesday but the rearranged dates for Celtic and Rangers are both Wednesday, March 14, although police are unlikely to sanction both games going ahead at the same time.

Dundee United announced their game had been called off “after prolonged snowfall and following a safety inspection in and around Tannadice”.

After the McDiarmid Park game was postponed, St Johnstone said: “With further snow fall expected over the next few days it’s believed an early call on this game is best for all concerned.”

Fixtures at Dunfermline, Airdrie, Albion Rovers, Berwick, Clyde, Edinburgh City and Peterhead also fell and the SPFL added that “the remaining games due to be played on Saturday will be kept under review”, including Ross County’s home game against Partick Thistle.

The postponements, on the back of three top-flight call-offs on Wednesday, pose a scheduling problem for the SPFL, especially in the Premiership with the split due to take place after April 8. Hamilton stated that it was likely one of their outstanding league games would be next week with two midweeks later in March affected by the international break.

With Glasgow Airport shut for a second day and Edinburgh Airport closing early after a limited schedule, Edinburgh’s Friday night game with Munster at BT Murrayfield was called off a day after Glasgow’s trip to Ulster was shelved.

There will be at least one BT Premiership game on Saturday after Heriot’s hired a pitch at Oriam to set up the first indoor game in the league’s history.