Snow and ice to blanket much of the UK on first weekend of the year

Six yellow weather warnings for snow and ice are in place, with the latest warnings reaching into Monday, while several amber snow warnings for northern Scotland and Shetland are in place throughout Saturday.

The Met Office said areas covered by the amber alerts could see 10-20cm of snow at lower altitudes and 30-40cm of snow on higher ground, while winds could cause blizzards.

Snow has already resulted in widespread disruption to roads and railways in parts of northern Scotland, and the Met Office has warned of a risk of power cuts, communities being cut off, and vehicles becoming stranded.

Other areas of the UK saw snow on Friday, and yellow warnings are now in place for parts of the UK, including much of Northern Ireland, until 3pm on Monday.

Daytime temperatures are expected to remain in the low single figures for much of the country on Saturday, and below freezing in parts of northern Scotland.

Met Office chief meteorologist Rebekah Hicks said: “Arctic air and brisk northerly winds are gripping the UK as we start the new year.

“Snow and ice warnings remain in force for many areas, with the risk of heavy snow showers, especially across northern Scotland and over higher ground elsewhere, though many inland areas will stay largely sunny and clear.

“Bitterly cold conditions will persist through the weekend and into next week, with daytime temperatures struggling to rise above freezing for some, and overnight lows dipping to minus double figures in places.

“We urge people to stay #WeatherAware, keep up to date with the forecasts and plan ahead as icy roads and slippery surfaces are likely.”

The Met Office said the mercury dropped as low as minus 5.7C at Drumnadrochit on the shore of Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands on Friday.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued warnings across England which are in place until 10am on January 9.

The amber cold health alert means that the weather is expected to have severe impacts across health and social care services.

The alert has been issued for the East Midlands, West Midlands, North East, North West, South East, South West, East of England, Yorkshire and the Humber, and London.

Officials expect a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions, with impacts also possible on younger age groups.

Meanwhile, the British Heart Foundation said cold weather can present specific risks for people with heart conditions because the heart has to work harder, which can exacerbate existing health conditions.

The organisation said there are thousands of additional deaths from heart and circulatory disease in the winter months every year in the UK.

Ruth Goss, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: “Cold temperatures can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes, and people with cardiovascular disease are also more at risk of serious illness if they get seasonal respiratory infections like flu.

“It’s especially important that people living with heart conditions are well prepared for the cold snap this winter by wrapping up warm and having their free flu jab.”