Overview
- Met Office amber 'risk to life' snow warnings are in force from noon Friday to noon Saturday for parts of the Highlands and northeast Scotland, with widespread yellow alerts for snow and ice across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- Snow is already falling and settling in several urban areas, including London, Birmingham and parts of the West Midlands and Shropshire, with bands moving southeast and travel impacts beginning to build.
- Forecasters expect further accumulations of 10–20cm at low levels and 30–40cm on higher ground in the amber zones, with strong winds bringing drifting and temporary blizzard conditions as temperatures plunge, including lows near -12°C in parts of Scotland.
- The UK Health Security Agency has issued amber cold-health alerts across England until 10am on 6 January, warning of a likely rise in deaths among older people and those with underlying conditions and of significant pressure on health and social care.
- Authorities caution of likely delays and cancellations on roads, rail and air, with National Rail urging passengers to check before travel, the AA projecting 20.7 million car journeys today, and guidance for motorists to carry emergency kits and assess whether journeys are essential.