Overview
- The Met Office has issued an amber snow warning for parts of North East England and Yorkshire on Thursday from 5am to 9pm, with 15–25 cm possible on higher ground in the North York Moors and Yorkshire Wolds.
- Yellow warnings for snow and ice cover northern Scotland, Northern Ireland, the east coast from Newcastle to Hull, and parts of southwest Wales, Devon and Cornwall, while Met Éireann has yellow alerts for Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, Leitrim and Sligo.
- Temperatures are forecast to plunge well below average, potentially reaching around −11C in rural Scotland on Thursday night, with daytime values in low single figures for many.
- Travel disruption, stranded vehicles and isolated power cuts are possible, and National Highways reports more than 530 gritters available as drivers are urged to prepare for winter conditions.
- Snow has already been reported in parts of Scotland and locally elsewhere, and the Met Office has identified 39 UK areas at risk of snow on Wednesday as wintry showers move in from the North Sea.