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The UK is braced for power cuts and mass travel disruption over the weekend as the Met Office warned of heavy snow and freezing rain.
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 forecaster said.
There is also a “good chance” that rural communities could be cut off with up to 30cm of snowfall expected in some areas.
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An amber warning for snow and freezing rain covering most of Wales and central England is in place from 6pm on Saturday to midday on Sunday.
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.
Additional yellow weather warnings for snow and ice will be in force for most areas of the UK, covering different periods of time over the weekend.
A yellow warning for snow and ice from midday on Saturday to midnight on Sunday has been issued for much of England and Wales not covered by the amber warnings.
The Met Office has also issued a yellow warning for snow and ice covering much of Northern Ireland from 9pm on Saturday to 6pm on Sunday.
A yellow warning for ice is in place for the north of Scotland from 4pm on Saturday to 10am on Sunday while a yellow warning for snow in the Shetland Islands has been issued for Saturday from 10am to 6pm.
There is also a yellow warning for rain covering much of Wales and the West Midlands on Sunday from 6am to 9pm.
Met Office chief forecaster Jason Kelly said some “significant accumulations” of snow were possible in parts of Wales, the Midlands and northern England, and the additional factor of strengthening winds could lead to drifting of lying snow.
He added: “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.”
Meanwhile National Highways 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.
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