Overview
- A yellow warning covers New Year’s Day and beyond for northern Scotland, with frequent heavy snow showers likely to cause travel disruption.
- Forecasters expect 2–5 cm at low levels by Friday morning, 10–20 cm above 200 metres, and 30 cm or more on the highest routes.
- Powerful northerly, locally gale‑force winds are forecast, increasing the risk of drifting snow and hazardous conditions on exposed routes.
- UKHSA has issued amber cold‑health alerts for the North East and North West of England through 5 January, with yellow alerts in other English regions.
- Initial risk areas include Central, Tayside and Fife, Grampian, Highlands, Na h‑Eileanan Siar, Orkney, Shetland, Argyll and Bute, and further warnings are considered likely.