Snow and ice warnings issued for parts of UK
Ireland is bracing for a "multi-hazard weather event" on Saturday of snow, ice, heavy rain and sleet. We're seeing some photos of conditions there, as some snow falls in Co Wicklow.
Image source, PA MediaPeople out walking at the mountain pass in Wicklow
Image source, PA MediaIcicles hang off grass at the Wicklow Gap mountain pass in Wicklow, Ireland.
Image source, PA Media
This weekend is often one of the busiest of the year for travel, as people make their way back from Christmas holidays.
Travel expert Simon Calder says that although snow is expected later on, transport and roads are running as expected for now.
On flights, the travel guru tells the BBC News channel that the airports are currently "functioning fairly well", despite Heathrow reporting 20 cancellations on flights in and out of the airport so far today.
Heathrow says it is keeping an eye on the situation, and Calder explains that these cancellations are the result of the need to slow down the "flow rate" - that's the amount of arrivals into the airport during inclement weather.
There is some snow on the roads and the travel expert encourages people to "prepare" for journeys while the impact is minimal.
As for rail journeys, Calder says we have so far only seen regular disruptions, like engineering works or broken down trains. However, with conditions set to worsen, the expert warns people to give themselves extra travel time.
“If you are making a journey, leaving it for the very last train tonight or hoping you’ll be travelling on the first train tomorrow could be over optimistic," he says.
There has been a multi-vehicle crash blocking an ice-and-snow-covered road in the Lake District, where several roads are already closed.
The crash was reported at 13:05 GMT on Wrynose Pass, Cumbria Police say.
Officers have not confirmed if anyone is injured.
Cumberland Council earlier closed some roads due to icy conditions and urged those who had to travel to do so with caution.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe Port of London Authority joins those issuing warnings and advice to stay safe this weekend.
In a post on X this morning, they asked people to "exercise caution near the Thames".
The Canal & River Trust has advice on staying safe near water during the winter - that includes planning your route, taking a friend and slowing down.
The Trust also advises that you keep to well-lit areas and take a phone.
Elizabeth Rizzini
BBC Weather
Our four legged friends are out and about across the UK today - and the difference in conditions between north and south can be clearly seen.
In Portmahomack, situated in the Scottish highlands, one of our Weather Watchers' golden retrievers took time to pose for the camera while on a gloriously sunny clifftop walk.
In Kent, meanwhile, Blean lifted two paws off the frosty ground, demonstrating the grey and chilly conditions down south.
As for the rest of the country, rain has started now to push into Cornwall. That frontal system will bring the rain and snow overnight and tomorrow.
This means that by tomorrow afternoon, it could again be mostly dry in the Highlands and Kent but the temperatures will be very different.
Image source, BBC/Olly79A weather watcher's dog takes in the sunshine and clear skies in Scotland
Image source, BBC/Moonraker EastBlean does their best to keep warm in grey and frosty Kent
Image source, Getty ImagesVeterinary charity PDSA, external advises giving dogs and cats extra blankets for their beds over the winter months.
Raised beds can keep older dogs away from draughts, while cats may like high-up dens.
A sudden drop in temperature can also have a big impact on outside pets, such as rabbits and guinea pigs.
They should be given extra bedding for warmth and, if possible, moved to a more sheltered space or even brought inside.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe NHS advises that babies and children should wear several layers of clothes to keep warm, external.
Importantly, babies do not need hot rooms at night - a room temperature of between 16-20C (61-68F) is ideal, external. Overheating is one of the potential causes of sudden infant death syndrome, external.
A sleepsuit and either a sleeping bag or a sheet and/or blanket should be fine.
If you're using a sleeping bag and feel like your baby is cold, add an extra layer of clothing - but not extra blankets.
Image source, PA MediaAs the UK braces for a cold front, preparations are also being made in Ireland for expected heavy snow and ice.
The country’s Taoiseach (prime minister), Simon Harris, is urging caution and says there will be a meeting of the Emergency Planning Team today, which brings together relevant government agencies and local authorities.
In a post on Instagram, he warns that the cold blast is likely to continue through most of next week in Ireland, with snowfall expected from 17:00 today until 21:00 tomorrow.
"My ask of you is to take this weather event seriously, to expect treacherous travelling conditions, to follow any advice or guidance that is issued,” he says.
In Ireland’s capital, Dublin Airport says its snow and ice teams are on stand-by, and asks passengers to contact airlines directly for updates.
Elizabeth Rizzini
Lead Weather Presenter
With different levels of warnings in place across the country, it can be confusing to know exactly how your plans might be affected by the weather.
To hopefully answer any questions you might have, you can have a listen to The Weekend’s Weather on BBC Sounds.
This brief episode includes a short forecast of what to expect in your area this weekend, as well as some detail on why exactly snow is so hard to predict in the UK.
We can now bring you an updated forecast from our colleagues at BBC Weather.
The headlines? Snow is likely on the way from about 21:00, and Met Office-issued amber weather warnings mean there is likely to be more disruption later on today and into tomorrow.
Catch up with the latest forecast from BBC's Louise Lear below:
Snow and ice warnings issued for parts of UK
Image source, EPASnowfall is expected tonight across a wide area of the UK, so if you're out driving later or early tomorrow, here are some tips from Halfords to keep safe:
The British Red Cross is urging people to pay “extra attention” to advice being given on how to cope with the cold snap.
Emergency response lead Eleonor Stack tells the BBC anyone set to travel today should reconsider their plans if possible and to “take on board all the advice” from local authorities.
Stack says Red Cross operation teams are “on stand-by this weekend”, adding a team was already deployed on Friday night in London as temperatures dropped.
“From Shetland to Cornwall, Erskine to Northwick, our emergency response teams are on stand-by to work alongside local authorities, emergency services and other voluntary community sector organisations to help people, support them and respond where we’re needed,” she adds.
Image source, Getty ImagesWe know heating a home in winter comes at a huge cost to many. The Red Cross, external has several simple, inexpensive tips on how to stay warm:
Many people on the Isle of Man are expected to wake up to a blanket of snow on Sunday.
An amber severe weather warning - the second highest level - will be in place from 23:00 GMT on Saturday until the early hours of Monday morning.
The Manx government said routes above 500ft (152m) would be pre-salted on Saturday evening. Both the Mountain Road and Sloc Road are expected to be closed from 22:00.
Forecasters are warning of "significant amounts of snow" for higher ground on Sunday, and also of "overhead power line icing" and the risk of drifting snow in blizzard conditions.
As new warnings are being issued by the Met Office, we can bring you some advice from Stephen Basterfield from the National Highways - who spoke to our colleagues at BBC Radio 5 Live a little earlier.
The spokesman from National Highways said the agency prepares all year round to make sure it has enough gritters and salt stocks in supply.
In the lead-up to and through winter, the Met Office is also embedded with the agency so it's across all weather updates.
"We really are as responsive as we can be in treating the roads and we are constantly checking road temperatures. The problem with heavy freezing rain and heavy snow is that it can wash away what we put down."
He stresses the single most important thing to keeping roads safe is for drivers to "give serious consideration to not traveling" and "when the severe alert is at its worst, to really try and keep off the roads, if possible."
Elizabeth Rizzini
Lead Weather Presenter
We are expecting snow tonight across a wide area of the UK as rain pushes north eastwards, turning to snow in the colder air but introducing milder conditions behind in the south, albeit briefly.
There could be fleeting snow in the south of England and Wales tonight, especially over the higher ground of the moors, the Downs and the Chilterns but it will be transient and will turn quickly back to rain. There will be less than 3cm here.
For lower levels of Wales, the Midlands there will be between 3 and 7cm of snow tonight.
There could be between 10 and 20cm of snow into tomorrow morning across the higher ground of Wales, the Midlands and the south Pennines.
There's a possible accumulation of 5cm of snow into tomorrow morning for Northern Ireland in the south-east. Tomorrow morning the snow continues across many areas and will push further north.
Total accumulations possible for Wales and the Peak District of around 15-30cm, 10-20cm in the Southern Uplands and a jump to 20-40cm for parts of the Pennines.
Morgan Spence
BBC News Senior Video Producer
It’s a chilly afternoon here at the peak of A' Mharconaich, a 975-metre Munro at the edge of the Cairngorms in Scotland.
The Mountain Weather Information Service said temperatures on summits here could drop to -3C - but add in the windchill and that can feel as cold as -12C, according to their latest forecast.
There’s a thick layer of snow coating the surrounding hills and ice crystals have been forming on my jacket - hence plenty of thermal layers and thick winter gloves!
Within the past couple of hours, multiple new weather warnings have been issued by the Met Office. If you're just joining us, here's a recap.
Amber warning for snow: In place from 21:00 today until 23:59 on Sunday, which covers the east Midlands, north-east and north-west England, the West Midlands and Yorkshire and Humber.
Amber warning for snow and ice: In place from 18:00 today until 12:00 on Sunday, covering the East Midlands, north-west England, Wales, south-west England, the West Midlands and Yorkshire and Humber.
Yellow warning for ice: In place from 16:00 today until 10:00 tomorrow, covering northern Scotland including areas within Grampian, Highlands, Eilean Siar and the Shetland Islands.
Yellow warning for snow and ice: Comes into effect from 21:00 GMT today and ends at 18:00 tomorrow, covers parts of Northern Ireland.
Yellow warning for snow and ice: In parts of the East Midlands, north-east England, Wales and south-west England.
Yellow warning for rain: Issued for Derbyshire, north-west England, Wales and the West Midlands valid from 06:00 tomorrow till 21:00 - fresh rainfall with milder air and thawing snow could cause some flooding.
Image source, PA MediaThe Met Office , externalsays snow will accumulate through the evening on Saturday and into Sunday before turning to rain in central and southern areas of England.
It will continue to fall as snow in northern England, where "some significant accumulations" could develop through Sunday.
As the snow turns to rain further south, and especially over Wales, there is a risk of freezing rain, external, a dangerous weather phenomenon which sees rain freezing instantly when it reaches the surface causing dangerous icy conditions.
The office also warns that a brief bout of milder air on the weekend could lead to snow melt that could bring "additional flood risk as the snow melt enters already saturated catchments".
As of yesterday, cold weather payments have been triggered in dozens of postcode areas in Cumbria and Northumberland.
The cold weather payment is a government benefit top-up to help with fuel bills, external. Each payment is for a seven-day period and is worth £25.
The average temperature in a local area must be zero degrees Celsius or less for seven days in a row, or be forecast to be below freezing for seven consecutive days.
Payments are not age-related but you must already be receiving certain benefits, including, external: