The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings for ice and snow across Scotland and northern England as Arctic air drives the UK's first major cold snap of the season. Temperatures could plunge as low as -7C to -10C, with up to 7cm of snow forecast in some areas.
Yellow ice warnings are in force from 7pm Monday to 10am Tuesday across northeast Scotland, including Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray and Highland. Northern England, including Durham, Northumberland, Cumbria and North Yorkshire, faces similar warnings from 5am to midday Tuesday.
A separate yellow warning for snow covers much of Scotland from 3am to 6pm Tuesday. The Met Office forecasts snow primarily on hills above 300 metres, though lower-level areas could see wintry precipitation.
Health alert activated
The UK Health Security Agency has issued cold weather warnings for the East Midlands, West Midlands, North East, North West, and Yorkshire and Humber. The alerts run from 8am Monday until 8am Friday.
The agency warned of «significant impacts» across health and social care services, including «a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions.» The alert also highlights potential impacts on younger age groups and increased demand for healthcare services.
Arctic blast brings dramatic shift
Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Dan Holley explained the sudden change: «As Storm Claudia retreats to the south, high pressure to the north west will drive a cold northerly flow from the Arctic across the UK. This will bring much colder conditions than of late and, whilst generally drier than recent days, there will also be a risk of wintry hazards, such as snow and ice.»
Holley added: «There will be widespread frosts across the UK, with temperatures dipping as low as minus 7C in places next week, and daytime temperatures staying in single figures across the country.»
Saturday recorded the coldest night since March, with temperatures dropping to -7C at Tulloch Bridge in the Highlands.
Travel disruption expected
The RAC warns of hazardous road conditions. Breakdown spokesperson Alice Simpson said: «There's potential for freezing temperatures to make roads hit by heavy rain very slippery with a chance of ice. We expect breakdown volumes to be around 10% higher than what's normal for this time of year, which equates to around 1,000 more people needing our help each day.»
The Met Office advises leaving at least five minutes earlier for journeys and sticking to main roads, which are more likely to have been treated. The agency emphasizes keeping warm both indoors and outdoors, recommending at least one hot meal daily and wearing several layers of light clothing rather than one thick layer.
The cold snap comes after Storm Claudia brought heavy rain and flooding to parts of England over the weekend, with the dramatic temperature drop on wet ground creating additional ice hazards.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
