Overview
- The Met Office upgraded parts of the Highlands and north-east Scotland to amber for heavy snow from Friday midday to Saturday midday, with 10–20cm at lower levels and up to 30–40cm on high ground plus temporary blizzard conditions.
- Yellow warnings for snow and ice cover large areas of England and Wales from midnight to noon on Friday, with 1–2cm likely for some and up to about 5cm on higher ground, and separate yellow alerts apply in Northern Ireland Friday morning.
- Police Scotland and transport officials urged people to consider delaying journeys, citing likely road, rail and air disruption, potential power cuts and the risk of rural communities becoming temporarily cut off.
- The UK Health Security Agency expanded amber cold-health alerts across regions of England until January 6, warning of significant pressure on health and social care and an increased risk to older people and those with underlying conditions.
- In upstate New York, WHEC’s Yellow Alert highlights shifting lake-effect snow and squalls near Lake Ontario with brief whiteouts and localized totals reaching near a foot in parts of northeastern Wayne County.