Weather – latest: Amber snow warnings for much of UK with up to 40cm forecast as temperatures fall to -7.4C

The health secretary has advised pensioners to “layer up” amid warnings that millions will struggle after ministers axed their winter fuel payments.

Wes Streeting also said the next few days were “definitely” a time “to turn the heating on” as temperatures plummet and snow is forecast across the country.

Our Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:

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.

It comes after initial data indicated that Rostherne in Cheshire and Yeovilton in Somerset saw temperatures drop to minus 5C overnight, just shy of previous estimates which suggested the mercury could dip as low as minus 8C.

The Met Office has released its new forecast for the weekend, and 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.”

The Met Office has advised people in areas with heavy snow or ice not to travel if possible.

It has published the following advice for those who do need to travel:

• Follow the Highway Code, the Met Office says. This includes taking care around gritters, not overtake, and driving slower than usual. If you start to skid, ease off the accelerator and avoid braking. If braking is necessary, pump the brakes rather than slamming on them.
• If you have to walk around, wear several layers of clothing and keep dry. Keep your arms and legs moving to help your blood circulate.
• Beware of black ice, which is formed when rain or drizzle fall on a road surface which is at sub-zero temperatures. “It isn’t always visible and so can be an even greater hazard for both motorists and pedestrians,” the Met Office says.

A seven-month-old baby has died after a car lost control and hit a tree on the A1, with police investigating whether the incident was linked to icy conditions.

Emergency services were called to reports of a collision on the A1 near Grantham at just after 10.50pm on Thursday.

A baby boy was taken to hospital but was later pronounced dead at around 5am on Friday, after a yellow Honda Jazz hit a tree around 500 yards from the Spittlegate junction.

A woman also travelling in the same car suffered serious injuries, while two other passengers were not seriously injured.

Here are the weather warnings over the weekend, mapped:

A weather warning for ice will be introduced at 4pm on Friday, lasting until 10am on Saturday.

Three warnings – two amber and one yellow – will be introduced on Saturday as snowy and icy conditions grip much of the UK.

A yellow warning for snow will be introduced across most of Scotland at 12am on Sunday, lasting until 12pm on Monday.

Only the one yellow warning for snow in Scotland will remain on Sunday, with all other warnings lifted. The Met Office warns there may be more warnings going into next week.

Loganair is offering flexibility to passengers booked to travel on Saturday or Sunday to or from five English airports, as well as Cardiff and the Isle of Man.

The Glasgow-based regional airline said: “In view of the amber weather warning forecast for snow on Saturday, 4 January and Sunday, 5 January across northern England and Wales and the potential for travel disruption, we are offering customers the opportunity to adjust travel plans without charge.”

The English airports are Bristol, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle.

Standard procedure is to allow passengers to defer their journey by up to a week for no charge. This reduces the risk of the traveller encountering disruption – and also cuts the number of passengers that the airline might need to managed if flights are affected.

The Met Office has explained what is causing the cold snap which will grip the UK, in what will be a “weekend of two halves”.

Saturday will see largely settled conditions thanks to a band of high pressure sitting above the UK, as a band of low pressure moves into the south west.

It will be a chilly day across the UK with scattered, wintry showers before rain moves in from the southwest.

The band of low pressure will move across the north east towards the UK on Sunday, bringing less settled conditions as rain, snow, and freezing rain spreads in from the south west.

It will be another cold day in the north, with temperatures turning briefly milder in the south, the Met Office says.

Colder conditions will “develop widely across the UK” going into next week, the Met Office says.

As the system bringing snow this weekend moves across to the east, a cold flow of air will establish itself across the UJK.

Deputy chief forecaster Dan Holley said: “The system bringing this weekend’s snow will move away to the east by Monday, allowing a cold a northerly flow to become established again for much of next week.

“This will bring further snow showers to northern Scotland in particular, but possibly to some other areas, especially near western coasts, with a fair amount of dry and bright weather elsewhere.

“Temperatures will remain below average, with widespread frost and the risk of ice at times. Some areas, especially in the north, may struggle to get above freezing for several days.

“It is possible further weather warnings will be issued for the start of next week, so it’s advisable to stay up to date with the forecast.”