Large parts of the UK will be hit by heavy snow and freezing rain which could lead to disruption this weekend amid two amber weather warnings.
Stranded vehicles on the roads, delayed or cancelled rail and air travel and power cuts are all likely as the country grapples with a week-long spell of wintry conditions, the Met Office said.
There is also a “good chance” that rural communities could be cut off thanks to the weather, with up to 30cm of snowfall expected in some areas.
Temperatures of minus 10C were forecast in parts of rural Scotland on Friday night, according to a Met Office forecast.
The coldest temperature recorded in January last year was minus 14C, in Dalwhinnie in the Highlands.
An amber warning for snow and rare freezing rain covering most of Wales and central England, including the Midlands and the north-west cities of Liverpool and Manchester, is in place from 6pm on Saturday to midday on Sunday, the Met Office said.
The second warning for snow, covering most of northern England including Leeds, Sheffield and the Lake District, has been issued from 9pm on Saturday to midnight on Sunday.
Both of the warning areas can expect to see 3cm to 7cm of snowfall widely, while snow may mix with rain at times in lower-lying areas, the forecaster said.
Three separate yellow weather warnings for snow and ice will be in force for most areas of the UK, covering different periods of time until Monday afternoon.
National Highways warned a “spell of disruptive snow” would spread across southern and central parts of the road network on Saturday night.
Drivers in high-altitude areas, particularly the Cotswolds and Peak District, were warned to take particular care. Gwent Police issued a warning for black ice on Friday.
Road users in England’s north were warned up to 25cm of snow could hit parts of the network including the A66 Old Spittal, A628 Woodhead Pass and M62 at Windy Hill.
Met Office chief forecaster Jason Kelly said some “significant accumulations” of snow are possible in parts of Wales, the Midlands and northern England, and the additional factor of strengthening winds could lead to drifting of lying snow.
He continued: “There is a risk of freezing rain across parts of the Midlands and northern England, but especially Wales, adding to the risk of ice and leading to some treacherous conditions in places.
“As the super-cooled rain droplets hit the surface they instantly freeze, covering everything in a layer of ice, making it extremely dangerous.”
It comes after Lincolnshire Police said it was investigating whether a crash near Grantham which left a seven-month-old baby dead on Thursday night was linked to icy conditions.
A chilly start on Saturday with freezing fog and icy stretches in parts of the north ⚠️
The best of the sunshine in the northeast, with scattered showers for a few in the northwest 🌦️
Drier but cloudier further south with rain and snow later arriving in the far southwest ☔ pic.twitter.com/CYFRKG1KJR
— Met Office (@metoffice) January 3, 2025
A yellow Honda Jazz car left the southbound carriageway on the A1 shortly after 10.50pm before it hit a tree and returned to the road.
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) cold weather health alerts for all of England remain in place ahead of a week of low temperatures.
Amber alerts were issued on Thursday and will run until January 8, meaning a rise in deaths is likely, the agency said.
Councils across London and southern England have activated emergency measures including additional accommodation to help rough sleepers stay safe during the cold snap.
Some football games have been called off, including Cheltenham’s clash with League Two leaders Walsall which was due to take place on Saturday, Halifax’s National League home game against Fylde which was also set for Saturday, while Friday night’s Scottish Championship game between Airdrie and leaders Falkirk did not take place.
Meanwhile, Saturday’s race meeting at Newcastle has been abandoned because the course is frozen.
Milder air will briefly cover some southern areas during the weekend before a new northerly flow allows colder conditions to return across the UK next week, the Met Office said.
Deputy chief forecaster Dan Holley said temperatures would remain below average with some areas struggling to get above freezing for several days.
Further weather warnings could be issued for the start of next week.
