The Met Office has issued upgraded amber weather warnings for parts of Scotland, with a “risk to life” as snow and blizzards are expected to hit the UK. Up to 40cm of snow could fall in some areas, leading to potential travel chaos, power cuts, and risk to life and property.
Yellow warnings for snow and ice are in place across large parts of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Up to 5cm of snow could blanket some areas, especially on higher ground in North Wales and northwest England. The warnings cover regions from Chester and Greater Manchester down to London and Kent, with separate alerts for Northern Ireland.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has upgraded cold health alerts to amber across most of England, warning of a likely rise in deaths among vulnerable groups. The alerts cover the East Midlands, West Midlands, South East, South West, East of England, Yorkshire and the Humber, and London, and remain in place until 10am on 6 January.
Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at UKHSA, urged people to check on vulnerable friends and family, as the cold weather increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and chest infections, particularly for those over 65 or with pre-existing conditions.
Travel disruption is expected, with delays and cancellations to rail and air travel, as well as road disruptions. Rural communities may become cut off. The Met Office warned of injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces, and urged people to prepare for longer journey times.
The cold spell is expected to persist into the weekend and next week, with further warnings possible as temperatures remain well below average. New Year’s Day temperatures are forecast to be 3C in Edinburgh, 5C in Belfast, 6C in Manchester, 7C in London, and 8C in Cardiff.
