Overview
- UKHSA has activated a cold weather alert from 8am Monday to 8am Friday for the North East, East Midlands, North West, West Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber, including Nottinghamshire.
- The Met Office says high pressure to the northwest will drive Arctic air south, bringing widespread frosts, a marked wind chill and lows around -5C to -7C with daytime temperatures stuck in single figures.
- Snow is forecast to start in Scotland on Tuesday before pushing south during midweek into parts of northern England, Wales and the Midlands, with wintry showers near coasts.
- Model guidance indicates the heaviest accumulations on higher ground—up to roughly 18cm in the Scottish Highlands and around 9cm on the Pennines—while most towns and cities see little settling.
- RAC expects breakdowns to run about 10% above normal and local authorities have gritters on standby, while health services warn of increased risks for older and vulnerable people; forecasters say the exact southward reach and totals may be updated.