The Met Office has issued fresh weather warnings for ice and snow across 42 areas of the United Kingdom as the country experiences its coldest temperatures of the season so far. Britons are waking up to hazardous conditions on Friday morning following what forecasters described as 'the coldest night of winter so far'.
Widespread Disruption Across the Country
Multiple yellow weather warnings remain in effect across large parts of England, Scotland, and Wales. The freezing conditions have already caused significant disruption, with approximately 100 schools closed in northern Scotland alone on Thursday. Additional closures were reported in Wales, where 36 schools shut in Pembrokeshire, 14 in Carmarthenshire and seven in Ceredigion.
In England, North Yorkshire saw 33 schools closed while eight were listed as fully closed in East Yorkshire. The widespread closures reflect the severity of the conditions affecting much of the country.
Dangerous Travel Conditions Persist
Transport networks are facing considerable challenges, with motorists being warned about treacherous road conditions. North Yorkshire Council advised drivers that gritting does not guarantee ice-free surfaces and urged people to drive according to the conditions.
The AA issued stark warnings for drivers, with expert Shaun Jones stating: "When snow and ice hit, the roads can quickly become treacherous. Stopping distances can increase tenfold on icy surfaces, so slowing down and leaving plenty of space is absolutely vital."
Evidence of the dangerous conditions was visible on the A19 near Murton, Sunderland, where a car was pictured overturned following a collision.
Health Warnings and Emergency Response
The NHS has raised concerns about the impact of cold weather on public health, particularly for vulnerable groups including older people, those with pre-existing health conditions, and young children. The health service emphasised that cold weather can have a serious impact on health and urged people to take precautions.
Local councils have been deploying gritting teams throughout the night in affected areas. Cornwall Council announced their gritters were treating main routes, while Aberdeen City Council confirmed they would be gritting and ploughing primary routes from early morning.
Traffic Scotland has made its real-time gritter map available to the public, showing the current location of gritters on main roads and displaying where they have previously treated routes.
Forecast and Regional Impacts
Met Office Chief Forecaster Steve Willington confirmed: "We're still in the grip of a cold, Arctic air mass today and into Friday, and that means further wintry showers for some, and ice, particularly overnight. Multiple warnings are currently in place."
Forecaster Simon Partridge added that Friday would mark "the end of the really cold weather as things turn back to average by the time we get into the weekend." The Met Office predicts a shift to milder, more unsettled conditions driven by Atlantic weather systems over the coming days.
The 42 areas currently under Met Office ice warnings include Grampian, North East England, Yorkshire & Humber, East Midlands, East of England, London & South East England, South West England, and multiple regions across Wales and Scotland.
