The Met Office has issued amber “danger to life” weather warnings as significant parts of Britain prepare for substantial snowfall.
These snow alerts come into effect on Tuesday, accompanied by four yellow warnings for snow and ice, plus an additional yellow warning specifically for ice. The amber warnings, active between 11am and 7pm, encompass large swathes of Scotland, including Central, Tayside and Fife, Grampian, and Highlands and Eilean Siar.
These areas could experience a further 5 to 10cm of snow across the board, with up to 15cm possible on elevated terrain, adding to the 5 to 10cm already accumulated, and 20 to 30cm in certain locations from Monday’s snowfall, when a yellow snow and ice warning remained in effect throughout the day.
“A spell of heavy snow is expected to move east across central and northern Scotland during Tuesday, clearing to wintry showers during Tuesday night,” the Met Office states.
The national forecaster is urging motorists to avoid driving in snowy and icy conditions unless it’s absolutely essential, and to refrain from endangering themselves or others. With a “good chance” of power outages occurring, residents are being encouraged to prepare by assembling torches, mobile phone charging devices and other crucial supplies.
The public is also being reminded to check on vulnerable neighbours, particularly elderly residents, individuals with pre-existing medical conditions and those living alone.
Areas covered by snow and ice warnings include:
East Midlands.
East of England.
North East England.
North West England.
Yorkshire and Humber.
South West England.
Wales.
Central, Tayside and Fife.
Grampian.
Highlands and Eilean Siar Orkney and Shetland.
Strathclyde.
SW Scotland, Lothian Borders.
The wintry conditions of snow and ice are expected to ease by late morning across much of the nation, with three of the four weather warnings active from midnight through to 11am. Nevertheless, the alert for snow and ice affecting central and northern mainland Scotland will persist throughout the day.
A separate ice warning for Northern Ireland comes into effect from 5pm today (Monday) and continues until 10am tomorrow (Tuesday).
In its outlook spanning Monday, January 5, through to Friday, January 9, the Met Office characterises UK weather as: “Staying very cold with snow showers for some.”
Tuesday is forecast as “another cold day with a mixture of rain, sleet and snow across the north. Drier in the south with sunny skies, before rain, sleet and snow moves in this evening.”