The UK faces widespread snow and ice warnings as temperatures plunge, with up to eight inches of snow forecast in parts of Scotland and northern England through Friday.
The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings covering almost all of Scotland, with the exception of some east and west coast areas, Glasgow and Edinburgh. Warnings remain in force until Thursday for northern Scotland and the Hebrides, with no further alerts expected for the remainder of the week.
Temperatures are expected to drop to approximately minus 2C, with the heaviest snowfall anticipated on Wednesday across the east coast of England as far south as Lincolnshire, parts of Humberside, North Yorkshire, and the entire north-east of England.
Expected snowfall
Snow accumulations of 2-5cm are possible above 150 metres elevation, rising to 5-10cm above 400 metres across Scotland on Tuesday. Hills above 300 metres could see as much as 15-20cm in some areas.
Chief Forecaster Paul Gundersen said: «Scattered showers feed into the northeast and far north of mainland Scotland on Monday night, bringing a risk of icy conditions on roads and pavements. An area of rain will reach the west of Scotland early on Tuesday morning, with a risk of this turning to snow as it moves inland.»
Travel disruption expected
The Met Office warns of travel delays, stranded vehicles and passengers, impassable untreated pavements and cycle paths, and delayed or cancelled bus and train services. Power cuts may occur, and mobile phone coverage could be affected. Some rural communities may become cut off.
Ferry operator CalMac has cancelled a number of services, and railway operator Scotrail advised travellers to take care.
Rain will move south-east throughout Tuesday, often falling on freezing surfaces and creating icy patches in the morning, particularly across the UK.
Safety advice
The Met Office recommends: «Keep yourself and your family safe when it is icy. Plan to leave the house at least five minutes earlier than normal. Not needing to rush reduces your risk of accidents, slips, and falls. If you need to make a journey on foot, try to use pavements along main roads which are likely to be less slippery.»
The agency also advises checking road conditions if driving, or bus and train timetables, and staying updated with weather forecasts as warnings may change.
The coldest night since March was recorded on Saturday when temperatures dropped to minus 7C in Tulloch Bridge in the Highlands.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
