UK weather: Snow and ice forecast as Met Office issues warnings

Daytime maximum temperatures will be around 0 to 7C over the next few days and will drop further.

Cold Arctic air will spread across the UK from New Year’s Day (Thursday), with significant snowfall expected in northern Scotland.

The Met Office’s yellow warning will be in force here from 06:00 GMT on Thursday until 23:59 on Friday.

While snow accumulations may be around 2-10 cm at low levels, they may reach up to 20-30 cm at higher altitudes. Some drifts and snowstorms may also occur.

Delays may occur on roads where vehicles are at risk of being stranded.

Some rural communities could also be cut off, according to the Met Office.

There will also be strong northerly winds and the Met Office will have an additional yellow warning for north-east Scotland and the Northern Isles from 21:00 GMT on Wednesday until 09:00 GMT on Thursday.

On Friday, snowfall will be seen in Northern Ireland, Wales, the southern parts of North-West England, the Midlands and the south of England.

Although the snowfall lasts for a few hours, travel disruptions may occur due to 2-5 cm snowfall at low levels.

Another Met Office yellow warning was issued from midnight until 12:00 GMT on Friday.

There could be up to 5cm of snow in the highlands of Wales and the south Pennines.

By this weekend temperatures will rise to 3-5C at best, with parts of Scotland and northern England experiencing ‘icy days’ where temperatures will not rise above freezing.