UK weather live: Heavy snow warnings as 40cm forecast while temperatures of -9C to bring rare freezing rain
Major health warning issued and disruption including travel chaos and power cuts likely as Met Office issues alerts across the country for first weekend in 2025
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Your support makes all the difference.Heavy snow warnings have been issued across the UK, as a cold blast is set to sweep the country over the weekend, bringing sub-zero temperatures, health risks and disruption.
An amber warning for snow and rare freezing rain covering most of Wales and central England is in place from 6pm on Saturday to midday on Sunday, the Met Office said.
Another amber snow alert will then be 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.
Seven yellow weather warnings for snow, ice or rain have also been issued across the UK, covering different periods of time over the weekend and into Monday.
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) has issued a Cold-Health Alert (CHA), warning of an “increase in risk to health”.
The Met Office also warned of likely disruption caused by the weather, including stranded vehicles on the roads, delayed or cancelled rail and air travel, power cuts, and rural communities getting cut off.
In pictures: Brits wrap up warm as cold snap strikes
Baby boy dies after A1 car crash in icy conditions
A seven-month-old baby has died after a car lost control on a dual carriageway and hit a tree, with police investigating whether the crash was linked to icy conditions.
Police were called to a single-vehicle collision involving a yellow Honda Jazz on the A1 near Grantham in Lincolnshire at just after 10.50pm on Thursday.
The car left the southbound carriageway around 500 yards from the Spittlegate junction, hit a tree and came to rest on the road.
The baby boy was taken to hospital but was pronounced dead just after 5am on Friday, Lincolnshire Police said.
A woman also travelling in the same car suffered serious injuries, while two other passengers were not seriously injured.
There were no weather warnings in place for Grantham at the time of the crash, but Met Office records show temperatures were below freezing at 11pm on Thursday.
‘Reduce your speed’ - National Highways
Drivers have been advised to reduce speed and keep distance from other cars as ice is expected to cover large parts of the UK.
National Highways severe weather resilience manager, Darren Clark: “If you are travelling this weekend, keep your distance and reduce your speed. Gritters will be out treating our roads around the clock when ice or snow is forecast, but it is still important to drive to the conditions.
“Even in conditions that seem normal and where the snow is not settling you could always experience slippery conditions.
“Drivers should plan their journeys, check their vehicles, monitor weather reports and pack a snow kit of blankets, food, water and a shovel.”
Met Office chief forecaster, Jason Kelly, said “freezing rain” - meaning “supercooled rain droplets” which hit the ground before they “instantly freeze” - could lead to “treacherous conditions”.
Baby killed in crash as police investigate possible link to icy conditions
A seven-month-old baby has died after a car lost control on a dual carriageway and hit a tree, with police investigating whether the crash was linked to icy conditions.
Police were called to a single-vehicle collision involving a yellow Honda Jazz on the A1 near Grantham in Lincolnshire at just after 10.50pm on Thursday.
The car left the southbound carriageway around 500 yards from the Spittlegate junction, hit a tree and came to rest on the road.
The baby boy was taken to hospital but was pronounced dead just after 5am on Friday, Lincolnshire Police said.
A woman also travelling in the same car suffered serious injuries, while two other passengers were not seriously injured.
There were no weather warnings in place for Grantham at the time of the crash, but Met Office records show temperatures were below freezing at 11pm on Thursday.
‘Significant’ snowfall expected - Met Office full forecast
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.”
Mapped: Cold weather health warning
The UKHSA has released a map of the areas under a cold weather health warning.
It warns there will be an “increase in risk to health”, particularly for vulnerable people and the elderly. The warning will last until Wednesday 8 January.
Dr Agostinho Sousa, a health protection chief at UKHSA, said vulnerable people will be more at risk of “heart attacks, stroke and chest infections as a result of cold temperatures”.
Full list of weather warnings as Britons told to brace for freezing weather
The Met Office has issued five weather warnings in the coming days as the UK welcomes in 2025 with a cold snap.
The forecasters have told Britons to prepare for freezing temperatures, ice and up to 40cm of snow over the weekend.
- Friday 4pm to Saturday 10am: Yellow ice warning for Scotland, northwest England, northern Wales and parts of Northern Ireland.
- Saturday 12pm to Sunday 23:59pm: Yellow snow and ice warning for most of England, southern Scotland and all of Wales.
- Saturday 6pm to Sunday 12pm: Amber snow and ice warning for most of Wales, the Midlands, and parts of northern England.
- Saturday 9pm to Sunday 23:59pm: Amber snow warning for most of northern England and parts of the Midlands.
- Sunday 12am to Monday 12pm: Yellow snow warning for most of Scotland.
AA warns of ‘Miserable Monday’ as UK goes back to work
The UK’s biggest motoring organisation has predicted 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.
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.
Chris Wood, AA Patrol of the Year, said: “A third of households have more than one car but over Christmas, only one tends to get used for visiting friends and family or to hit the Boxing Day sales. The main commuter car often gets left unused, which means problems go unnoticed until it’s time to head back to work.
“Cold conditions cause the power output of the battery to drop, and shorter journeys tend to drain your battery’s energy faster. To get a good charge in time to start up the commute, try to drive your car a couple of times for at least half an hour each trip.”
With amber weather warnings in place for much of the UK, the AA said: “Motorists are urged to proceed with caution and allow plenty of space between you and the car in front to account for increased stopping distances.
“Taking warm layers and keeping at least a quarter of a tank of fuel or adequate EV charge in case of unexpected delays is advised.
“It’s also important to remember that opportunist car thieves welcome the frosty conditions, so never leave the car unattended with the engine running and the keys inside.”
Number of people in hospital with flu quadrupled in a month, NHS figures show
The number of people hospitalised with flu in England has quadrupled in a month heaping pressure on NHS services, new figures show.
An average of 4,469 flu patients were in 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. It is also more than four times the number on 1 December, when the total stood at 1,098.
NHS chiefs have warned that cases are rising at a “very concerning rate” and that the extreme cold snap expected over the weekend could compound the health risk for elderly and vulnerable people.
As UK health authorities issue a cold weather health warning, Holly Bancroft reports on the rise in flu hospitalisations:
Number of people in hospital with flu quadrupled in a month, NHS figures show
The number of people sick with flu in English hospitals is also up year-on-year
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