Overview
- UKHSA cold‑health alerts are in force from Monday to Friday for the East Midlands, West Midlands, North East, North West, and Yorkshire and the Humber, with officials warning of significant strain on health and social care.
- The Met Office has issued multiple yellow warnings, including a 15‑hour snow alert for parts of Scotland on Tuesday, with additional snow and ice warnings extending into northern England.
- Forecasters expect the coldest period from Wednesday to Friday, with sub‑zero nights locally near −10C and a sharp wind chill under a strong northerly flow.
- Snowfall is most likely on higher ground in Scotland and northern England with 5–10 cm typical on hills and 15–20 cm possible above about 300–400 m, while some low‑lying northern and eastern areas could see 2–5 cm.
- Travel disruption and icy hazards are possible, with the RAC forecasting roughly a 10% rise in breakdowns, while the UK also recorded its coldest night since March at −7C in the Highlands; separately, a Yellow Alert in upstate New York flags strong winds and localized lake‑effect snow impacting commutes.