UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – The UK faces ongoing snow and ice, with amber and yellow alerts disrupting schools, trains, and daily life across many regions.
As reported by Ewan Somerville and Ottilie Mitchell of the BBC, snow and icy conditions remain widespread across the UK, with the Met Office warning of potential disruption in southern England this week.
How are amber and yellow warnings affecting the UK this week?
Northern Scotland faces amber snow warnings until Tuesday night, with milder yellow alerts affecting large regions across Britain until 11:00 GMT.
Snow could disrupt travel later this week in south-east and central England, the Met Office says, even in areas not yet under warning.
The Arctic cold snap has caused freezing temperatures, leading to school closures and delays for flights, trains, and services in affected regions.
Yellow weather warnings across the UK will end by late Tuesday morning, while amber alerts in Scotland continue until 19:00. Central and northern Scotland could see 5–10cm of snow, with some places getting up to 15cm.
The Met Office advises people not to drive and to prepare for possible electricity outages. Yellow warnings may cause minor disruption, while amber warnings signal more serious risks to travel, power, and safety.
Schools are closed across Britain, including more than 170 in Northern Ireland, on Tuesday.
Phillip McCullagh, principal of St Patrick and St Brigid’s College in Claudy, described the situation as “as bad as I’ve seen it.”
Councils in Aberdeenshire, Orkney, and Shetland have confirmed that schools will stay closed. Some areas in Wales, including Carmarthenshire, Neath Port Talbot, and Bridgend, are also affected.
Rail travel was disrupted on Monday, 5 January, with Eurostar trains unable to run to the Netherlands.
Network Rail Scotland warned that heavy snow is making it hard to clear the tracks. LNER advised travelers between Edinburgh and Aberdeen to wait until 14:00 GMT on Tuesday.
Snow and ice conditions led to flight suspensions at Liverpool John Lennon Airport, which reopened later in the day.
The Arctic cold spell is set to continue. Later this week, strong winds, heavy rain, and some snow could hit parts of the UK as a low-pressure system moves through.
The Met Office said that even in southern areas, snow may fall on higher ground on Thursday and Friday, even though much of the south missed the earlier snow.
Met Office forecaster Aidan McGivern said there is a 20% chance the system will take a northern route. This could bring strong wind and rain to much of England and Wales, with extra snow in northern England, southern Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
He said there is a higher likelihood that the weather front moves through northern France, causing snow in the southern counties of England.
McGiven stated that the most probable outcome is wind and rain in southern UK areas, with central England facing potential snow-related disruption.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has warned of amber cold health alerts for England, with the severe winter weather triggering cold weather payments across 451 postcodes.
Under the scheme, households on eligible benefits automatically receive £25 if their local area records or forecasts temperatures of 0°C or below for seven consecutive days.
Which Norfolk schools are closed due to snow, ice, and heating issues?
- Acle Academy
- Brisley Church Of England Primary Academy
- Bure Park Specialist Academy
- Chapel Green School
- Drayton CE VC Junior School
- Drayton Community Infant School
- Fred Nicholson School
- Freethorpe Community Primary School
- Glebeland Primary School
- Greenpark Academy
- Hall School
- Harford Manor School
- Include Schools Norfolk
- John Grant School
- Little Plumstead Church Of England Primary Academy
- Moorlands Church Of England Primary Academy
- Morley Church Of England Primary Academy
- Neatishead C Of E Primary School
- Nightingale Infant & Nursery School
- Ormesby Village Infant School
- Reedham Primary And Nursery School
- Rudham Church Of England Primary Academy
- Saxlingham Nethergate CE VC Primary School
- St. Andrews School
- Swanton Abbott Community Primary School
- The Bridge Easton School
- The Clare School
- The Fen Rivers Academy
- The Parkside School
- Upwell Academy
- West Walton Community Primary School
- Kenninghall Primary School
- Northrepps Primary School
How have past Arctic blasts affected the UK?
Trains were stranded for up to 14 hours in 2018, and snowdrifts isolated rural areas in Scotland and northern England due to Arctic blasts.
Seventeen fatalities were linked to the 2018 freeze. Temperatures hit -14.2°C in Kent in 2018 and dropped to -10.9°C in Cumbria in 2026. Snowfall reached 57 cm in Gloucestershire in 2018 and 34 cm in the Scottish Highlands this month.
The 2018 cold wave caused widespread financial damage, with losses estimated at £1.2 billion across the British Isles and Europe.