Brits instructed to brace for seven-day ‘Arctic blast’ as country-wide climate warnings issued

Brits are set to shiver as the Met Office issues a flurry of yellow snow and ice warnings across swathes of the nation. The weather boffins have flagged back-to-back alerts that will see us through today and into tomorrow. Up in the north of Scotland, the Northern Isles, and parts of Northern England, locals could be grappling with wintry showers complete with hail, sleet, and a dusting of snow.

The forecasters at the Met Office reckon we could see anything from 1cm to 3cm piling up in some spots within the warning zones, while higher ground over 300 metres might get blanketed by 5cm to 10cm come Monday morn. And for those on the lofty peaks of the South Pennines? Hold onto your hats – there’s up to 20cm on the cards.

Even at lower levels, we’re talking 2cm to 10cm of the white stuff settling down alongside some treacherous icy patches, reports the Mirror. These chilly predictions mean Brits should brace for potential travel delays. Met Office meteorologist Ellie Glaisyer has sounded the alarm for travellers to gear up for the frosty onslaught, particularly “during Monday morning’s rush hour”.

A yellow weather warning will cast its shadow over Northern Wales, the north of England, and the Scottish borders from 7pm tonight right through to 10am Tuesday. Thermometers took a nosedive last night, expected to hit a bone-chilling -5C to -8C in the countryside. This cold snap isn’t going anywhere fast, with icy nights on the cards for much of the week ahead.

Temperatures could even skid below freezing as far south as Hampshire by Wednesday. Daytime won’t offer much respite either, with the mercury struggling to reach 8-9C in the West Country and a mere 5C in Birmingham and Manchester.

The UK Health Security Agency has issued a cold health alert for the Midlands and North of England this week. The agency warns that weather conditions could have minor impacts on health and social care services, including increased use of healthcare services and a greater risk to life for vulnerable people.

A Met Office yellow warning is in place for northern England and southern Scotland, parts of Yorkshire, and parts of north-west England, including Lancashire and Cumbria, from 10am today until 10am tomorrow. As we move further into the week, the Met Office predicts cold or very cold conditions across much “if not all” parts of the UK.

“Into the weekend likely turning to more wet and windy conditions with some snowfall on the leading edge of this,” it said of the forecast. “Into the following week possibly cooler again though wintry conditions mostly limited to northern hills with a potential for more organised areas of rain, snow and strong winds at times, this probably also associated with milder temperatures, at least in the south. Later in the period, conditions remain uncertain, but some indications for a further more settled spell around the turn of the month.”

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