The UK is set for a bitterly cold spell of weather where temperatures could drop as low as -13C, and weather maps show one day where nearly all of the country will see snow
Brits are set for a -13C Arctic blast, bringing flurries of up to 60 centimetres one day next week.
After a mild Christmas, much of the country woke up to bitterly cold temperatures today, and they are set to continue over the coming days and through next week.
Cold air moving southwards is the cause of the cold snap and where it hits low pressure systems moving in from the west and south it is going to lead to snow especially in northern areas. A map from Netweather shows for early on January 7 there could be 60 centimetres of snow falling in the north of England, Wales and northern Scotland.
Across the whole of Scotland there is expected to be plenty of snow and across England and Wales there could be at least 10 centimetres landing except for coastal areas where there will be less. A temperature map from WXCharts shows temperatures gradually get colder as next week goes on up until Thursday where it reaches -13C in central Scotland. Wednesday night could see it get to -11C in northern England and -7C in the Midlands.
The UK Health Security Agency has issued cold weather health alerts for all of England ahead of the low temperatures. Amber alerts have been issued from 12pm on Thursday until January 8, meaning a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions, is likely, the UKHSA said.
Temperatures could fall as low as -8C on Thursday night in rural southern Scotland and northern England, the Met Office said. It will also be cold in rural Wales and the south west of England with -6C expected. Fresh weather warnings have been issued by the Met Office for ice ahead of a blast of snow over the weekend.
The yellow warning indicates there could be icy surfaces in northern and western Scotland, the north west of England and Northern Ireland. It will remain in place from 5pm on Thursday until 10am on Friday morning, and could make for difficult travelling conditions, the forecaster warned.
A snow and ice warning is also in place covering parts of northern Scotland between 4pm on Thursday and 10am on Friday. Scattered wintry showers will be replaced by a longer spell of rain and sleet on Thursday night, particularly across western Scotland and Northern Ireland.
As temperatures dip below freezing, there could be a risk of ice on untreated surfaces, the forecaster said. A yellow warning is in place from noon on Saturday until 9am on Monday and covers all regions of England other than the South West, the majority of Wales and parts of southern Scotland.
About 5cm of snow is expected widely across the Midlands, Wales and northern England, with as much as 20-30cm over high ground in Wales and the Pennines, the forecaster added. Strong winds could lead to snow drifts in some areas, and freezing rain as temperatures creep up could add to the risk of ice.
Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said: “At the moment we’ve issued a very large snow warning for Saturday until Monday but it doesn’t mean that everywhere within that warning could see snow, it’s just a heads-up there could be some impacts.”
On Thursday, London councils activated an emergency accommodation protocol for people sleeping rough in freezing conditions. The emergency measures, which will see extra beds made available, have been active for three nights so far this winter.
A major incident declared in Greater Manchester on Wednesday because of flooding has been stood down, with emergency services and partners now focusing on recovery efforts. There have been no casualties or reports of serious injuries.
