Snow and freezing rain likely to disrupt parts of UK
Snow and ice warnings issued for parts of UK
- Published
Heavy snow and freezing rain are expected to hit parts of the UK this weekend, with the Met Office warning there could be considerable disruption in some areas.
Amber warnings are in place for northern England, the Midlands and much of Wales from Saturday evening and throughout Sunday. Less severe yellow warnings cover other areas, including Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Temperatures fell as low as -8.6C overnight in rural Scotland, with the bitter conditions created by an Arctic wind are expected to continue into next week.
The wintry conditions could result in power cuts, widespread travel disruption and some rural communities being cut off in the coming days, the Met Office warned.
The amber weather warnings in place are:
A warning for snow and freezing rain covering most of Wales and central England, including the Midlands and the north-west cities of Liverpool and Manchester, from 18:00 GMT on Saturday to noon on Sunday
A separate warning for snow covering most of northern England including Leeds, Sheffield and the Lake District from 21:00 GMT on Saturday to midnight on Sunday
Amber warnings are more serious than yellow warnings and indicate a possible risk to life due to severe weather, as well as more significant travel disruption.
Much of England and Wales is covered by a separate yellow warning for snow and freezing rain into Sunday, though there is uncertainty over how disruptive the adverse weather could be, with milder temperatures forecast.
Most of Northern Ireland, as well as an swathe of northern Scotland, are also covered by yellow warnings for snow and ice.
On Sunday, fresh yellow weather warnings will come into force in some areas.
Heavy rain and thawing snow could lead to flooding in some parts of north-west England and Wales, while localised snow and ice warnings cover parts of Scotland.
BBC Weather forecasts that 20-40cm (7.8-15.7in) of snow could fall across northern England and southern Scotland from late Saturday into Monday.
Wales and northern and central England are expected to see the most sustained period of snow and freezing rain, with 3-7cm of snow likely and around 15-30cm on higher ground.
Later on Sunday, temperatures are expected to be milder in parts of the country, reaching 13C in London in contrast to Aberdeen where it could be just 2C.
Watch: Dramatic video shows snow battering rescuers in the Cairngorms
British Airways has had to make a small number of adjustments to flights on Saturday due to air traffic control restrictions at Heathrow Airport because of the weather.
Prof Liz Bentley, chief executive of the Royal Meteorological Society, explained that freezing rain occurs when droplets fall onto surfaces at temperatures below zero degrees and instantly freeze, causing a "glazed ice" on the ground.
"It can be quite heavy as well, it can bring down trees, power lines, branches," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
"At the airport, for example, you may not only get black ice on the runway, [ice] may also get heavy on the plane so it can't take off - so it will cause a lot of disruption.
"It is quite rare for us to get that in the UK."
People are being urged to check in on the vulnerable during the wintry conditions, with amber cold health alerts in place across England.
The UK Health Security Agency issues alerts when temperatures are likely to affect people's wellbeing, in particular those who are elderly or have health conditions.
NHS chiefs warn the number of people with flu in hospital in England rose sharply over Christmas.
The latest data shows there were 5,000 patients in hospital with the virus at the end of last week - almost 3.5 times higher than the same week in 2023.
Frosty fields on Romney Marsh in Kent
For the second consecutive night, temperatures plummeted across the UK on Saturday, falling to a low of -8.6C in Aberdeenshire.
Police are investigating whether a crash on Thursday night on the A1 near Grantham that led to the death of a seven-month-old boy is linked to icy weather conditions.
Three hillwalkers needed to be rescued in the Cairngorms in Scotland on Thursday night after they got into difficulty in the wind and snow.
Age UK's director Caroline Abrahams told BBC News that winter had now "arrived with a vengeance" and there would be "lots of older people wanting to put the heating on but worrying whether they can really afford it".
She urged people to "put your health first and worry about the bill afterwards", adding that energy companies had "an obligation to help" those struggling and there may be support from local councils too.
Ms Abrahams previously said the cold weather would bring the government's decision to limit winter fuel payments "into sharp relief".
When asked about the cold weather on Friday, Health Secretary Wes Streeting pointed out Chancellor Rachel Reeves had retained the winter fuel allowance for the "poorest pensioners" - those in receipt of pension credit. The cut aims to save £1.5bn a year.
The Department for Work and Pensions said some postcodes would receive cold weather payments, external, which entitles some households in postcodes with sustained temperatures below 0C to a £25 payment.
This included some postcodes in Eskdalemuir in Dumfries and Galloway, Redesdale in Northumberland, and Shap in Cumbria.
You can keep up to date with BBC Weather forecasts online and on the app.
Get in touch
Has your area been affected by the adverse weather? Share your stories.