The United Kingdom is facing a significant shift in weather conditions, with a cold snap bringing the threat of snow and ice across the nation, following severe flooding in parts of the country. The Met Office has issued multiple weather warnings, signaling potential travel disruptions and power outages.
Two yellow weather warnings are in effect starting Thursday, covering northeast Scotland for snow and ice, and northwest Scotland, northwest England, and parts of Northern Ireland for ice. These warnings are expected to remain in place until Friday morning.
Looking ahead, a more widespread three-day yellow snow warning will commence on Saturday, impacting most of England, southern Scotland, and all of Wales. The affected regions may see accumulation between 5cm and 30cm of snow, particularly in elevated areas of the Midlands, Wales and northern England.
This severe weather follows major flooding in Manchester on New Year's Day, prompting a major incident declaration. While this incident has now been stood down, with recovery efforts in progress, over a thousand people were evacuated, highlighting the impact of recent extreme weather.
Temperatures are expected to plummet, potentially reaching -8°C in rural areas of southern Scotland and northern England on Thursday night. This significant drop in temperatures prompted a health alert from the UK Health Security Agency, warning of increased health risks for the elderly and vulnerable. This cold weather may be compounded by limited winter fuel payments for many, a decision criticized by charities supporting the elderly.
