Freezing temperatures to persist with weather warnings extended into Monday

Bitterly cold weather is expected to grip the UK over the weekend with some places already seeing as much as 10cm of snow.

A number of yellow weather warnings for snow and ice are in place, with the latest warnings reaching into Monday, while amber snow warnings for northern Scotland are in place until midday on Saturday.

Travel disruption is expected as wintry weather moves south-eastwards over parts of England and Wales.

The Met Office said the amber areas in Scotland could see power cuts and vehicles becoming stranded.

At Loch Glascarnoch in the Scottish Highlands there was in excess of 8cm of lying snow on Friday morning, while Aboyne in Aberdeenshire had around 9cm of lying snow.

Forecasters have warned there could be snow accumulations of up to 20cm on low ground and up to 40cm on higher ground.

Parts of England were also covered in a blanket of snow on Friday as 2026 saw a wintry start.

Yellow warnings are now in place for parts of the UK, including much of Northern Ireland, until midday on Monday.

Daytime temperatures are expected to stay below freezing in places on Friday, with the AA estimating the number of car journeys is likely to reach 20.7 million across the UK after a quieter day on the roads on New Year’s Day when 18 million trips were predicted.

Met Office chief meteorologist Rebekah Hicks said: “Arctic air and brisk northerly winds are gripping the UK as we start the new year.

“Snow and ice warnings remain in force for many areas, with the risk of heavy snow showers, especially across northern Scotland and over higher ground elsewhere, though many inland areas will stay largely sunny and clear.

“Bitterly cold conditions will persist through the weekend and into next week, with daytime temperatures struggling to rise above freezing for some, and overnight lows dipping to minus double figures in places.

“We urge people to stay #WeatherAware, keep up to date with the forecasts and plan ahead as icy roads and slippery surfaces are likely.”

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued warnings across England which are in place until 10am on January 9.

The amber cold health alert means that the weather is expected to have severe impacts across health and social care services.

The alert has been issued for the East Midlands, West Midlands, North East, North West, South East, South West, East of England, Yorkshire and the Humber, and London.

Officials expect a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions, with impacts also possible on younger age groups.

Meanwhile, the British Heart Foundation said cold weather can present specific risks for people with heart conditions because the heart has to work harder which can exacerbate existing health conditions.

The organisation said there are thousands of additional deaths from heart and circulatory disease in the winter months every year in the UK.

Ruth Goss, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: “Cold temperatures can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes, and people with cardiovascular disease are also more at risk of serious illness if they get seasonal respiratory infections like flu.

“It’s especially important that people living with heart conditions are well prepared for the cold snap this winter by wrapping up warm and having their free flu jab.”