Snow warnings upgraded with bitterly cold weather expected to grip UK this weekend

A bitter cold snap is sweeping across the UK and is expected grip the country over the weekend, with some places already seeing roughly 10cm of snow.

A number of weather warnings for snow and ice have been issued by the Met Office, with multiple yellow alerts extended into Monday.

In north Scotland, amber snow warnings are in place until midday on Saturday.

On Saturday and Monday, the east coast of England is expected to be hit by blizzardy conditions.

At Loch Glascarnoch in the Scottish Highlands there was in excess of 8cm of lying snow on Friday morning, while Aboyne in Aberdeenshire had around 9cm of lying snow.

The chilly conditions have led to the closure of several snow gates, stopping travel on some roads.

Traffic Scotland said the snow gates on the A93 Braemar-Glenshee, A939 Tomintoul-Cockbridge, B974 Cairn O'Mount-Fettercairn and at Bealach na Ba were shut on Friday morning.

Highland Council said it had received reports of campervans and cars stuck on ice in tourist hotspots. It has advised motorists to drive with caution.

The areas covered in the amber warnings include Angus, Perth and Kinross, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray, and the Highlands.

Around 10-20cm of snow is likely at low levels, with 30-40cm possible on higher ground, while winds could lead to temporary blizzard conditions, according to the Met Office.

The weather is expected to have an impact on transport, with those heading out urged to prepare for longer journey times by road.

Some delays and cancellations to rail and air travel are likely, as are power cuts, according to the Met Office.

Chief Superintendent Scott McCarren, Police Scotland's head of road policing, said: "Please don't drive through road closures, the decision to close roads is not taken lightly and is done for public safety."

Parts of England also saw a blanket of snow as 2026 got off to a wintry start.

A yellow weather alert for snow and ice is in place across most of Wales, while a yellow warning for ice in the southwest of England was issued by the Met Office on Friday morning.

A yellow weather alert for much of Northern Ireland starts at 3pm on Friday, with the country warned to expect snow and ice until midday on Monday.

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Met Office chief meteorologist Rebekah Hicks said: "Arctic air and brisk northerly winds are gripping the UK as we start the new year.

"Snow and ice warnings remain in force for many areas, with the risk of heavy snow showers, especially across northern Scotland and over higher ground elsewhere, though many inland areas will stay largely sunny and clear.

"Bitterly cold conditions will persist through the weekend and into next week, with daytime temperatures struggling to rise above freezing for some, and overnight lows dipping to minus double figures in places.

"We urge people to stay #WeatherAware, keep up to date with the forecasts and plan ahead as icy roads and slippery surfaces are likely."

Meanwhile, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued amber warnings which will remain in place until 10am on 9 January.

The alert has been issued for the East Midlands, West Midlands, North East, North West, South East, South West, East of England, Yorkshire and the Humber, and London.

The UKHSA said it means the weather is "likely" to cause significant impacts across health and social care services, including a "rise in deaths" among those with health conditions or aged 65 or over.

(c) Sky News 2026: Snow warnings upgraded with bitterly cold weather expected to grip UK this weekend