Arctic blast to bring snow, hail and icy conditions across UK this weekend | UK weather
This weekend’s blast of very cold air in the Arctic will bring snow, sleet, hail, freezing rain and icy conditions across much of the UK, forecasters said.
Met Office announced new yellow warnings due to winter conditions and potential travel disruptions that will last through Sunday morning.
Previous snow and ice warnings for Scotland and northern England ended at midday on Friday. Freezing temperatures also led to a four-day health warning for cold weather.
There are warnings for snow, sleet and hail showers in northern Scotland and coastal areas of north-east England and Yorkshire from 4pm until 10am on Saturday.
Warnings for ice across Wales, south-west England, northern England, the Midlands, east of England and as far as London will be issued between 5pm and 10am on Saturday.
A yellow ice warning has been issued for Northern Ireland, valid from 20:00 on Friday until 10:00 on Saturday.
Another snow and ice yellow warning will be in effect between 21:00 on Saturday and 10:00 on Sunday. It covers Scotland and northern England, and forecasters are predicting potentially heavy snow and freezing rain.
Forecasters said wintry conditions would mean dangerous icing on untreated roads and sidewalks.
The Met Office said the wintry weather was the result of an Arctic maritime air mass bringing colder conditions from the north of Scotland to the south.
On Friday morning, National Highways said: A66, a key route across the Pennines, is closed Due to “heavy snowfall” between the A67 near Bowes in County Durham and the A685 near Brough in Cumbria.
The statement said: “National Highways regional team teams are working with winter maintenance vehicles to clear and treat the roadway, but forecasts predict that snowfall in the region will continue throughout the morning.
“Units from Cumbria Police are also on scene to assist in clearing traffic. Road users traveling along the Pennines are advised to plan ahead and consider alternative routes.”
UK Health Security Agency A yellow alert for cold weather has been issued across northern England and the Midlands from 6am on Friday until 8am on Monday.
The warnings warn that the lives of vulnerable people are at greater risk and that the use of healthcare services by vulnerable people is increasing.
Winter weather follows a strikingly wet start to 2026 for much of the UK. People in parts of Devon, Cornwall and Worcestershire were treated to 40 days of rain. The Met Office said this week.
Was in England on Friday 76 flood warnings and 154 flood warnings in place. There was in Wales four flood warnings.
For others it was the absence of the sun; Aberdeen experienced 21 days of sunless weather until the sun finally came out. for about 30 minutes on Thursday afternoon..
