Ice warnings are in place across most of the UK as an Arctic air mass brings wintry conditions, while a severe weather system named Storm Goretti approaches to bring heavy snow and strong winds from Thursday evening through Friday.
The Met Office has issued yellow ice warnings for Wednesday morning covering most of the UK, including Northern Ireland. A separate yellow warning for snow and ice remains in effect all day Wednesday for northern Scotland, where 5-10cm of snow is expected.
Temperatures are forecast to drop to minus 6C in parts of rural Scotland overnight, with freezing conditions expected more widely. The UK has already experienced its coldest night of the winter, with temperatures plummeting to minus 12.5C in Marham, Norfolk.
Storm Goretti brings severe disruption
Storm Goretti, named by France's Meteo France forecaster, will bring significant snowfall to large parts of England and Wales. A yellow warning for snow is in place from 6pm Thursday until midday Friday, covering cities including Sheffield, Peterborough, Bath and Worcester, as well as much of Wales.
Some areas could see 5-10cm of snow, while others may receive up to 20cm. Snow is expected to develop over higher ground in south Wales late Thursday before rain transitions to snow more widely across England and Wales overnight.
A separate yellow warning for strong winds will affect Cornwall, Devon and the Isles of Scilly from 3pm Thursday until just before midnight.
Cold weather payments activated
The Government has triggered cold weather payments for hundreds of thousands of households in 451 postcode areas across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Eligible households will automatically receive £25 when temperatures are recorded or forecast to be 0C or below over seven consecutive days.
The payments were triggered on five separate days: December 30, January 1, January 2, January 3 and January 6. Some households in parts of Cumbria and Northumberland will receive double payments totalling £50. Affected areas include Penrith in Cumbria, the Yorkshire Dales, Norwich in Norfolk, Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire and Crawley in West Sussex.
Major incident declared in Scotland
Aberdeenshire Council has declared a major incident due to ongoing heavy snow, with schools closed for a third day on Wednesday. The council anticipates a "good chance" some rural communities will be cut off and power cuts may occur.
LNER has advised passengers not to travel between Edinburgh and Aberdeen until Friday at the earliest, stating they "cannot guarantee" trains will operate on that section. The AA attended almost 13,000 breakdowns by Tuesday afternoon as the severe weather impacted travel across the country.
The UK Health Security Agency has extended amber cold health alerts for England until Sunday, warning of likely adverse effects on health and wellbeing.
Travel and safety advice
Met Office forecaster Marco Petagna advised travellers to take precautions. «In the ice warnings, be careful of slippery surfaces and potential for injuries, so take care on footpaths. Icy patches could affect untreated roads, not all roads and pavements and cycle paths are treated so just be aware that away from major highways there could be icy and slippery conditions for a while tomorrow morning,» he said.
RAC breakdown spokesperson Alice Simpson urged drivers to allow extra time. «In these conditions, the key is allowing more time at every stage of the journey, whether that's clearing vehicles of snow and ice before setting off or reducing the speed at which you're travelling,» she said.
Simpson warned against using hot water on frozen windscreens. «Never be tempted to use hot water to clear a frozen windscreen which, rather than being a hack could actually lead to an expensive crack. Instead, leave more time before setting off and carry a decent scraper and de-icer so you can clear the windscreen quickly. It's important to have plenty of screen wash that protects down to at least minus 10 degrees, ensuring you always have a clear view due to all the dirt from gritted roads.»
The Met Office advises those travelling Wednesday morning to check road conditions, bus and train timetables, and amend travel plans if necessary.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).