UK weather live: Heavy snow causes travel chaos as flights grounded in Bristol and crashes on M5

Bristol Airport has suspended flights after heavy snowfall as the UK is braced for temperatures of -9C and rare freezing rain.

The airport said flights have been suspended until later on Saturday night as it tried to clear the runway of snowfall.

There have also been collisions up and down the M5, with traffic closed in both directions at one point during Saturday evening.

It comes as a Met Office amber warning for snow and rare freezing rain covering most of Wales and central England came into place from 6pm on Saturday to midday on Sunday.

Another amber snow alert is in place across most of northern England from 9pm on Saturday until close of Sunday.

Up to 40cm of snow is expected in the worst affected areas, while much of the warning area can expect 3cm to 7cm, the Met Office predicted.

The alerts come after the forecaster confirmed temperatures plunged to as low as -8.6C in Aboyne in Aberdeenshire overnight.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) also issued a Cold-Health Alert (CHA), warning of an “increase in risk to health”.

Key Points

• Snow chaos at Bristol airport

• Collision on M5 amid snow warnings

• Temperatures reached low of -9C overnight, Met Office confirms

• All Met Office weather warnings in place today

• Three more new weather warnings issued for tomorrow

Avon and Somerset Police warn against travel

22:50 , Alexander Butler

Avon and Somerset Police has urged residents to travel only if necessary amid “significant” road disruption across the area.

Writing on X, the force said: “Weather warnings are in place with snow and ice affecting the region. There is significant road disruption, particularly in parts of Somerset. Please only travel if necessary.”

Flight cancellations extend into Sunday from Bristol airport

22:45 , Simon Calder

Planes, pilots and passengers are all out of position after the large-scale diversions of flights arriving at Bristol airport on Saturday evening. At least 17 arrivals have flown to different UK airports, as far away as Manchester, because of heavy snow.

A spokesperson for the airport said: “The Bristol Airport team are working hard on snow clearing but challenging weather means that flight operations have been suspended until later tonight.

“This will mainly impact inbound flights but any concerned customers are advised to contact their airline for more information.”

The airport is outside the Met Office “amber weather warning” area, but it is relatively high: around 200 metres above sea level.

As a result of the closure, Sunday flights are certain to be disrupted even if the snow is quickly cleared.

The 6am KLM departure to Amsterdam has been delayed by five hours, and the 9am flight cancelled altogether.

Ryanair’s 8.55am departure to Alicante has been grounded. Further cancellations are likely.

Wiltshire Police warn against travel amid snowfall

22:25 , Alexander Butler

Wiltshire Police has warned residents against travelling unless necessary amid heavy snowfall across the county.

Writing on X, the force said: “The weather has turned very quickly and causing chaos all over the county, do not travel unless absolutely necessary!

“Otherwise you could find yourself having a long cold night roads being closed due to amount of incidents.”

Collision on M5 amid snow warnings

22:03 , Alexander Butler

A collision was reported on the M5 as the motorway was closed to traffic amid warnings of freezing temperatures and heavy snow.

Traffic was stopped on the M5 southbound between J24 Bridgwater and J25 Taunton due to the collision earlier this evening, National Highways said.

Dublin Airport’s snow and ice teams on stand-by

22:00 , Tara Cobham

A spokesman for Dublin Airport said its snow and ice teams are on stand-by to treat surfaces as required and to respond to any issues that arise.

“As always, passengers seeking updates regarding specific flights should contact their airline directly,” it said on social media.

“Those travelling to Dublin Airport over the weekend should allow plenty of time for their journey.”

Snow chaos at Bristol airport

21:31 , Simon Calder

As of 9.30pm on Saturday evening, Bristol airport has seen 17 diversions. The first two were easyJet arrivals from Grenoble and Geneva, which flew to London Gatwick and Luton respectively.

Jet2 sent planes arriving from the Canary Islands to Cardiff and Birmingham. The West Midlands airport has received eight Bristol diversions so far.

The longest diversion was a later easyJet flight from Geneva, which went to Newcastle. At least 10 flights have been cancelled so far as a result of the snow.

KLM cancelled its late-evening arrival from Amsterdam, as well as the early Sunday morning flight. The return legs are also grounded.

Three round trips – to Belfast, Paris and Barcelona – were cancelled by easyJet on Saturday evening.

In a statement posted on its website, the airport said: “Snowfall at Bristol may result in some delays to flights.“Customers are asked to contact their airline for the latest flight information.”

Forecasters warn of school closures in Ireland and travel chaos

21:00 , Tara Cobham

Forecasters have said that depending on snow accumulations in Ireland on Monday, schools could remain closed there as the sub-zero temperatures stretch into next week.

Met Eireann has also warned that the cold snap will create difficult travelling conditions and poor visibility.

They have said it will lead to very difficult travelling conditions, with disruption to public transport, air, rail and bus services, difficult conditions underfoot and animal welfare issues.

Explained: What is rare freezing rain set to hit UK?

20:00 , Tara Cobham

Rare freezing rain is forecast to hit the UK this weekend.

The phenomenon is a rare type of liquid precipitation that strikes a cold surface and freezes almost immediately.

The Met Office has explained it in more detail:

Mapped: Where snow will hit UK this weekend

19:00 , Tara Cobham

Nine weather warnings have been issued by the Met Office with snow and ice set to strike the UK, as temperatures plummet over the first weekend of 2025.

Two amber weather warnings have been issued, including a warning for snow and ice from 6pm on Saturday until 12pm on Sunday, covering most of the Midlands, Wales and parts of northern England.

Another amber snow warning will be issued across northern England and parts of the Midlands from 9pm on Saturday until the end of Sunday.

Here are all the weather warnings mapped:

Snow mapped: Where freezing weather will hit UK this weekend

In pictures: Parts of country already blanketed in white as more snow on its way

18:00 , Tara Cobham

Can and should you walk your dogs in the snow and freezing temperatures?

17:00 , Tara Cobham

Temperatures are dropping across the UK with snow weather warnings in place.

UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) cold weather health alerts for all of England remain in place ahead of a week of low temperatures.

With this news, many will be thinking about how this chilly weather may affect our pets.

Camilla Foster reports:

Can and should you walk your dogs in the snow and freezing temperatures?

Met Office’s forecast for this evening as disruption likely

16:45 , Tara Cobham

The Met Office has forecast rain, sleet and snow will move northeastwards across much of the UK this evening.

The weather service warned disruption is likely in places.

Public urged to take ‘extra care’ as Ireland braces for severe weather

16:13 , Tara Cobham

The public has been urged to take extra care this weekend following warnings of a “multi-hazard weather event” due to hit Ireland on Saturday.

It comes as the Government’s national emergency co-ordination group (NECG) met on Saturday to prepare for the severe weather forecast across the country.

Taoiseach Simon Harris was also briefed by the emergency director about their plans.

Snow, ice, heavy rain and sleet are to sweep over the island of Ireland as temperatures continue to plummet.

Amber snow and ice warnings in place in two hours’ time

15:51 , Tara Cobham

Amber snow and ice warnings will be in place in two hours’ time.

The Met Office has issued the weather warnings for large parts of England and Wales from 6pm this evening through into Sunday.

RSPCA warns householders that salt and antifreeze kill pets

15:31 , Tara Cobham

The RSPCA has warned householders that antifreeze and salt can be poisonous to pets – as snow and freezing temperatures are forecast to sweep the UK this weekend.

Amber severe weather warnings for ice and snow have been issued for parts of England and Wales amid a cold snap gripping the country.

Most of the Midlands, Wales, and parts of northern England will be covered by an amber warning for snow and ice from 6pm on Saturday until noon on Sunday.

My colleague Jane Dalton reports:

RSPCA warns that salt and antifreeze kill pets – as snow and ice forecast

Horse racing at Sandown Park in Surrey ‘abandoned due to frozen ground’

15:10 , Tara Cobham

Horse racing at Sandown Park in Surrey was abandoned on Saturday, with the racecourse saying the weather meant there “would not be sufficient time for the ground to become raceable”.

In a statement posted on social media, the racecourse added: “Following this morning’s inspection, sadly racing today has been abandoned due to frozen ground.”

Met Office forecasts cold conditions across UK this afternoon including snow

14:50 , Tara Cobham

The Met Office has forecast cold conditions across the UK this afternoon, including the arrival of snow in some parts.

In a post on X, the weather service said: “Most places dry and cold this afternoon, with freezing fog patches persisting across Northern Ireland.

“Wintry showers in the north and west, most frequent in the far north.

“Thicker cloud with rain, sleet and snow arriving into southwest England and Wales.”

Further weather warnings could be issued for start of next week

14:30 , Tara Cobham

Further weather warnings could be issued for the start of next week as the plummeting temperatures are expected to continue.

Milder air will briefly cover some southern areas during the weekend before a new northerly flow allows colder conditions to return across the UK next week, the Met Office said.

Deputy chief forecaster Dan Holley said temperatures would remain below average with some areas struggling to get above freezing for several days.

Sporting fixtures called off due to bad weather

14:10 , Tara Cobham

Some football games have been called off, while Saturday’s race meeting at Newcastle has been abandoned because the course is frozen.

The cancelled football matches include Cheltenham’s clash with League Two leaders Walsall, which was due to take place on Saturday, Halifax’s National League home game against Fylde, which was also set for Saturday, while Friday night’s Scottish Championship game between Airdrie and leaders Falkirk did not take place.

Councils across London and southern England activate emergency measures

13:50 , Tara Cobham

Councils across London and southern England have activated emergency measures.

This includes additional accommodation to help rough sleepers stay safe during the cold snap.

Emergency team meeting as Ireland braces for ‘multi-hazard weather event’

13:31 , Tara Cobham

The government’s Emergency Planning Team is holding a meeting as Ireland braces for a “multi-hazard weather event”, which is due to hit the country later on Saturday.

Snow, ice, heavy rain and sleet are to sweep over the island of Ireland as temperatures continue to plummet.

A series of weather warnings will come into effect, with status orange snow and ice warnings issued for Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Wicklow, Clare, Limerick and Tipperary.

Read the full story here:

Emergency team meeting as country braces for ‘multi-hazard weather event’

Cold weather alerts remain in place across England meaning likely rise in deaths

13:30 , Tara Cobham

Cold weather health alerts for all of England remain in place ahead of a week of low temperatures.

Amber alerts were issued on Thursday and will run until 8 January, meaning a rise in deaths is likely, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said.

Risk of rare freezing rain leading to ‘treacherous and extremely dangerous’ conditions

13:10 , Tara Cobham

The Met Office has warned of a risk of rare freezing rain leading to “treacherous” and “extremely dangerous” conditions in places.

The weather service’s chief forecaster Jason Kelly: “There is a risk of freezing rain across parts of the Midlands and northern England, but especially Wales, adding to the risk of ice and leading to some treacherous conditions in places.

As the super-cooled rain droplets hit the surface they instantly freeze, covering everything in a layer of ice, making it extremely dangerous.”

He predicted some “significant accumulations” of snow are possible in parts of Wales, the Midlands and northern England, and the additional factor of strengthening winds could lead to drifting of lying snow.

Drivers urged to take care as snow and ice hit UK

12:50 , Tara Cobham

National Highways has warned a “spell of disruptive snow” would spread across southern and central parts of the road network on Saturday night.

Drivers in high-altitude areas, particularly the Cotswolds and Peak District, were warned to take particular care. Gwent Police issued a warning for black ice on Friday.

Road users in England’s north were warned up to 25cm of snow could hit parts of the network including the A66 Old Spittal, A628 Woodhead Pass and M62 at Windy Hill.

Met Office warns of disruption this weekend caused by weather

12:30 , Tara Cobham

Stranded vehicles on the roads, delayed or cancelled rail and air travel and power cuts are all likely as the country grapples with a week-long spell of wintry conditions, the Met Office has warned.

There is also a “good chance” that rural communities could be cut off thanks to the weather, with up to 40cm of snowfall expected in some areas.

Gwent Police issue warning for black ice

12:14 , Tara Cobham

Gwent Police have issued a warning for black ice.

In a post on social media on Friday night, the force warned of “dangerous” roads caused by snow and ice.

Met Office details updated weather warnings

11:50 , Tara Cobham

Three hillwalkers rescued after walking through blizzard in freezing temperatures

11:30 , Tara Cobham

Three hillwalkers rescued after walking through blizzard in freezing temperatures

Excl: 20 flights cancelled at London Heathrow airport as ‘flow rate’ is reduced due to adverse weather

11:15 , Travel correspondent Simon Calder

British Airways has made 20 cancellations of flights to and from London Heathrow because the “flow rate” of arriving aircraft has been cut due to expected adverse weather.

Grounded flights include domestic departures to Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle, as well as European services to Barcelona and Rome. Passengers will be moved to other flights that are operating.

Because of the weather warnings, Loganair is offering flexibility to passengers booked to travel on Saturday or Sunday to or from five English airports – Bristol, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle – as well as Cardiff and the Isle of Man. The Glasgow-based regional airline said: “We are offering customers the opportunity to adjust travel plans without charge.”

The UK has seen some alarming airport snow closures in the past, including shortly before Christmas 2010 when hundreds of thousands of passengers had their flights cancelled. Snow also caused Manchester Airport to close both its runways in December 2022 and again in January 2023, with flights diverted as far away as Dublin and Paris.

Icy blast raises risk of death in elderly, health chiefs warn, as Age UK criticises winter benefit cut

11:01 , Alex Croft

A looming cold snap could increase the risk of elderly people dying, health chiefs are warning, as Age UK criticised the government’s limiting of winter fuel payments.

The UK Health Security Agency has issued cold-weather health alerts for all of England ahead of a week of expected low temperatures.

Amber alerts mean that a rise in deaths – particularly among people 65 and over, and those with health conditions – is likely. The agency has issued the alerts to run from Thursday until next Wednesday, 8 January.

Temperatures could fall as low as minus 8C on Thursday night in rural southern Scotland and northern England, the Met Office said. It will also be cold in rural Wales and southwest England, with minus 6C expected.

Jane Dalton reports:

Warning of deaths from icy blast as Age UK slates winter benefit cut

Rail problems across Great Britain

10:55 , Travel correspondent Simon Calder

On the railways it’s a high-pressure weekend because of many people returning from where they spent Christmas and New Year to their normal places of work and study. With so many intercity trips planned, and the possibility of bad weather intervening, National Rail says: “Check your whole journey before travelling.”

The infrastructure organisation Network Rail, says: “During adverse weather we do our best to run a full, normal service, but punctuality may be affected. Weather is classed as ‘adverse’ if any of the below are true:

• temperatures below -3°C”

In Scotland the Inverness to Dingwall line is closed because of landslips, with buses replacing trains to Wick and Thurso. The East Coast main line, which connects Scotland, northeast England and Yorkshire with London King’s Cross, has seen a series of problems on Saturday morning including a broken-down train and track inspection.

Elsewhere, there is still festive engineering work going on until Sunday on the London-Southampton main line between Woking in Surrey and Basingstoke in Hampshire, and in the Cambridge area.

Northern trains in northwest England are certain to be disrupted on Sunday – initially because of staff shortage rather than bad weather. Train crew working for the firm west of the Pennines are not obliged to work on Sundays, and many of them choose not to do so.

On the West Coast main line, this is the last weekend until June without a strike by Avanti West Coast train managers, so make the most of it.

Three more new weather warnings issued for tomorrow

10:53 , Tara Cobham

The Met Office has issued three more new weather warnings for tomorrow, after it just put in place three fresh alerts for today.

A yellow warning for snow has been issued for from midnight on Saturday until 6am on Sunday.

Meanwhile, a yellow warning for rain will be in place from 6am until 9pm on Sunday across much of Wales.

And a yellow warning for snow and ice will be in place from 9am on Sunday until 6am on Monday across parts of eastern and northern Scotland.

Advice for drivers in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

10:45 , Travel correspondent Simon Calder

With weather warnings covering most of the UK at various times over the weekend, the AA says: “Proceed with caution and allow plenty of space between you and the car in front to account for increased stopping distances. Take warm layers and keep at least a quarter of a tank of fuel or adequate EV charge in case of unexpected delays.”

Traffic Scotland has warnings to motorists in place right through to Monday morning, saying: “Road users are advised to drive with care due to low temperatures and the risk of ice currently affecting driving conditions on many roads.” Temperatures reached a low of minus 8.6C in Aboyne in Aberdeenshire overnight.

The Met Office is warning of the possibility of stranded vehicles because of snow across the Midlands and northwest of England, and Wales – with a foot of snow possible on high ground in mid and north Wales, and even more over the Pennines. Meanwhile Traffic Wales warns that between Saturday evening and Sunday lunchtime: “Snow and freezing rain will likely lead to disruption to transport and some other services.”

In Northern Ireland, Trafficwatch NI says up to four inches of snow is possible over the Mournes, Sperrins and Antrim Hills, with ice an additional hazard.

Even when Monday arrives, the AA predicts it will receive at least 14,000 callouts on Monday, the first working day of the year for many people. The expected figure is 50 per cent higher than an average Monday, because many drivers will be returning to vehicles left unused over the festive period during a severe cold snap. On the equivalent day last year (Tuesday 2 January 2024), the AA was called to more than 5,000 vehicles that wouldn’t start or had a flat battery.

All Met Office weather warnings in place today

10:36 , Tara Cobham

• A yellow weather warning for snow is currently in place in the Shetland Islands until 6pm on Saturday.

• A yellow weather warning for snow and ice covers much of England from midday on Saturday until the end of the day.

• Most of the Midlands, Wales, and parts of northern England will be covered by an amber warning for snow and ice from 6pm on Saturday until 12pm on Sunday.

• Another amber snow warning will then be in place across northern England and parts of the Midlands from 9pm on Saturday until the end of Sunday.

• A yellow weather warning for ice will be in place across northern Scotland from 4pm on Saturday until 10am on Sunday.

• A snow and ice warning has been issued across much of Northern Ireland from 9pm on Saturday until 6pm on Sunday.

The Independent’s front page: NHS engulfed by flu ‘quad-demic’ as cold snap grips UK

10:29 , Alex Croft

The number of people hospitalised with flu in England has quadrupled in a month, as health chiefs warned that the NHS is under “intense pressure” that will get worse as Britain braces itself for plunging temperatures this weekend.

Figures from NHS England show there were an average of 4,469 flu patients in hospital beds in England each day last week, including 211 in critical care.

This is up 17 per cent from 3,818 the previous week, when 184 were in critical care, and is more than four times the number on 1 December, when the figure was 1,098.

NHS chiefs have warned that flu cases are rising “at a very concerning rate” and that plummeting temperatures this weekend could exacerbate health conditions suffered by the elderly and vulnerable.

The cold snap, which is expected to blanket large swathes of the UK in snow this weekend, prompted health secretary Wes Streeting to urge pensioners to “layer up” and put the heating on, leading to further condemnation of the government’s “dangerous” decision to scrap winter fuel payments for millions.

Holly Bancroft, Joe Middleton and Kate Devlin report:

Number of people in hospital with flu quadrupled in a month, NHS figures show

Three more weather warnings issued, bringing total across UK today to six

10:19 , Tara Cobham

Three more weather warnings have been issued by the Met Office, bringing the total in place today across the UK to six.

A yellow alert for snow and ice will be in place across much of Northern Ireland from 9pm tonight until 6pm tomorrow.

Meanwhile, a yellow warning for snow is currently in place in parts of northern Scotland until 6pm today.

And a yellow warning for ice will cover parts of northern Scotland from 4pm today until 10am tomorrow.

‘Significant’ snowfall expected – Met Office full forecast

10:02 , Alex Croft

The Met Office’s forecast for the weekend says “significant accumulations of snow” are possible across large parts of Wales, the Midlands and northern England.

Met Office chief forecaster Jason Kelly, said: “This weekend will bring a range of weather hazards to the UK, notable snow accumulations, freezing rain, ice and heavy rain as well as some gusty conditions.

“We have issued a number of severe weather warnings, including Amber warnings for snow and ice in parts of England and Wales.

“Some significant accumulations of snow are possible across parts of Wales, the Midlands and northern England in particular, where 5 cm or more could accumulate fairly widely, with as much as 20-30 cm over high ground of mid and north Wales and potentially 30-40 cm over parts of the Pennines.

“This, accompanied by strengthening winds, may lead to drifting of lying snow.”

Temperatures reached low of -9C overnight, Met Office confirms

09:45 , Tara Cobham

Temperatures reached a low of minus 8.6C in Aboyne in Aberdeenshire overnight, a Met Office spokesperson has confirmed.

Chilly conditions were expected to continue for most of Saturday, today with most places ranging from 2-5C, with highs of 7C in south-west England.

The coldest temperature recorded in January last year was minus 14C, in Dalwhinnie in the Highlands.

Weekend starts with a range of rail problems

09:01 , Travel correspondent Simon Calder

The weekend has begun with a series of route closures on the railways, with extreme weather expected to hit travel plans as snow moves in across England and Wales.

In Scotland, “multiple landslips mean line between Inverness and Dingwall, continuing to Wick and Thurso, will remain closed until at least 11am.

The line between Edinburgh and Newcastle is blocked after a person was hit by a train, with services suspended until around 10am.

In Yorkshire, an attempted theft of signalling cables between Leeds and Knottingley means some lines are blocked. “Trains running between these stations via Wakefield may be cancelled or diverted via Castleford,” says National Rail.

Between Slough and Windsor, a train driver has been taken ill and no trains are running.

What is the Met Office forecast for Saturday morning?

08:00 , Andy Gregory

Here is the Met Office’s forecast for this morning:

Mapped: All weather warnings in place today

07:30 , Stuti Mishra

Full report: Amber weather warnings issued as child dies in car crash after temperatures plummet

07:01 , Andy Gregory

Amber weather warnings for snow and ice have been issued across most of England and Wales, as temperatures plummeted to -7.4C and a baby boy was killed after a car lost control on the A1.

Up to 40cm of snow is forecast in parts of northern England this weekend, with the Met Office warning of the potential for the icy and windy conditions to bring snow drifts and freezing rain – leading to some treacherous conditions.

Read our latest weather report here:

Amber weather warnings issued as child dies in car crash in -7C freeze

Where are the two Met Office amber warnings in force?

06:30 , Stuti Mishra

An amber warning for snow and freezing rain covering most of Wales and central England, including the Midlands and the north-west cities of Liverpool and Manchester, is in place from 6pm on Saturday to midday on Sunday, the Met Office said.

The second warning for snow, covering most of northern England including Leeds, Sheffield and the Lake District, has been issued from 9pm on Saturday to midnight on Sunday.

Both of the warning areas can expect to see 3cm to 7cm of snowfall widely, while snow may mix with rain at times in lower-lying areas, the forecaster said.

Two further yellow warnings for ice are also in force across nearly the whole of the UK.

Bus services cancelled as rail lines closed on Friday

06:02 , Andy Gregory

All Stagecoach bus services were cancelled in Orkney after a bus left the road near the Brig O’ Waithe, according to the BBC, while the Far North railway line remained closed for 80 miles between Inverness and the Kyle of Lochalsh due to floods and landslips.

Travellers asked to delay journey amid icy conditions and train delays

05:30 , Stuti Mishra

National Rail is advising people to check their “whole journey” before setting off over the coming days as National Highways “strongly” advised people that travel is “likely to be extended or even disrupted”.The government agency tasked with operating England’s motorways says snowfall over the weekend will, in some places, turn into rain and potentially lead to ice in some areas.Regions of high ground – such as the Cotswolds and the Peak District are at more risk of this, it adds.National Highways says road users should plan ahead and check the Met Office weather updates, and for traffic information from Traffic England before setting off or delay journeys.Also likely are more delays and cancellations to bus, rail and air travel.Northern and ScotRail services are currently affected, while bus replacement services are running between Llandudno Junction and Blaenau Ffestiniog.

‘A weekend to layer up and keep warm’

05:00 , Stuti Mishra

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said on Friday it is “a weekend to layer up and put the heating on” due to the cold conditions.

“We are heading into a cold snap this weekend and I know there are lots of concerns, not just amongst charity leaders, but also among NHS and social care leaders as well, about the particular risks and vulnerabilities this weekend as temperatures drop, both in terms of risk of accident and injury, but also risk from the cold itself,” he told BBC Breakfast.

“This is a weekend to wrap up and keep warm, to take sensible precautions about going out and about.”

Sports fixtures called off due to poor weather

04:30 , Stuti Mishra

Some football games have already been called off this weekend, including Cheltenham’s clash with League Two leaders Walsall which was due to take place on Saturday, Halifax’s National League home game against Fylde which was also set for Saturday, and Friday night’s Scottish Championship game between Airdrie and leaders Falkirk.

Meanwhile, Saturday’s race meeting at Newcastle has been abandoned because the course is frozen.

‘Good chance’ rural communities could be cut off amid freezing rain

04:00 , Stuti Mishra

Large parts of the country will face disruption from heavy snow and freezing rain over the weekend after forecasters issued two amber weather warnings.

Stranded vehicles on the roads, delayed or cancelled rail and air travel and power cuts are all likely as the UK grapples with a week-long spell of wintry conditions, the Met Office said.

There is also a “good chance” that rural communities could be cut off due to the conditions, with up to 30cm of snowfall expected locally.

“There is a risk of freezing rain across parts of the Midlands and northern England, but especially Wales, adding to the risk of ice and leading to some treacherous conditions in places,” Met Office chief forecaster Jason Kelly said.

Temperatures forecast to fall to -10C

03:11 , Andy Gregory

Temperatures of -10C could be seen in parts of rural Scotland on Friday night, according to new Met Office forecasts.

The coldest temperature recorded in January last year was -14C, in Dalwhinnie in the Highlands.

Southern areas to get brief respite before cold returns

02:14 , Andy Gregory

Milder air will briefly cover some southern areas during the weekend before a new northerly flow allows colder conditions to return across the UK next week, the Met Office said.

Deputy chief forecaster Dan Holley said temperatures would remain below average with some areas struggling to get above freezing for several days.

Further weather warnings could be issued for the start of next week.