UK faces ‘blizzard circumstances’ with 15 inches of snow as Met Office upgrades warning
Met Office issues amber weather warnings for Highlands and north-east Scotland with up to 40cm of snow forecast. Yellow warnings remain in place for England, Wales and Northern Ireland with travel disruption expected
The Met Office has ramped up weather warnings for snow from yellow to amber, signalling a frosty start to 2026.
Amber alerts for heavy snow showers, which could cause disruption in parts of the Highlands and north-east Scotland, have been issued from midday on Friday until midday on Saturday.
The warning indicates that accumulations of 10-20cm of snow are likely at lower levels, with 30-40cm (around 15 inches) possible on higher ground.
Additionally, winds could whip up temporary blizzard conditions.
Forecasters have warned that these conditions may lead to delays and cancellations of rail and air travel, potential power cuts, and road disruptions. There’s also a risk that some rural communities could become isolated.
Scotland is already under weather warnings on New Year’s Day, with a yellow alert for snow and ice covering the northern part of the country, reports the Mirror.
The Met Office forecasts that 2-5cm of snow could settle by Thursday evening, increasing to 10cm by Friday morning. Above 200 metres, up to 20cm could accumulate.
This warning remains in effect until midnight on Friday, extending further south over the weekend to include areas down to Perth and southern parts of Argyll and Bute until midnight on Sunday.
New Year’s Day is set to be chilly across the UK.
Those planning a brisk walk or a swim on January 1 can expect cool conditions, with highs of 5C in Belfast, 7C in London, 6C in Manchester, 3C in Edinburgh, and 8C in Cardiff, according to the forecast.
In a Wednesday post on X, the Met Office revealed that taking a “dip in the sea” on Thursday would feel “relatively mild compared to the wind chill that can be expected on land”, whilst cautioning those along eastern coastlines to brace for substantial waves and elevated tides driven by powerful winds.
Come Friday, a yellow alert for snow and ice has been declared across vast swathes of England and Wales from midnight until noon, encompassing areas from Chester and Greater Manchester right down to London and Kent.
Up to 5cm of snow could smother certain regions, particularly elevated terrain across parts of North Wales and north-west England.
Additional yellow alerts are active for Northern Ireland from midnight through to 10am on Friday.
The public has been advised to allow extra time for road journeys, as well as bus and train travel.
Weather experts have also issued warnings about potential injuries from slips and tumbles on treacherous icy patches, which will form rapidly as sleet and snow moves through.
A Met Office spokesperson explained: “This warning highlights the risk of disruptive snow showers and icy surfaces, particularly in northern and eastern areas, with impacts on travel and potential hazards for the public.
“We expect this cold spell to persist into the weekend and on into next week, with further warnings possible as temperatures remain well below average and snow showers continue in places.”
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued warnings for the start of the year. Amber cold health alerts have previously been issued in the North East and North West of England.
However, yellow alerts have now been escalated to amber across the East Midlands, West Midlands, South East, South West, East of England, Yorkshire and the Humber, and London.
These warnings will remain in effect until 10am on January 6.
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