More wintry weather is expected this weekend, with parts of the UK likely to see severe cold, ice and snowy conditions before blizzards are expected to sweep across the north of the country.
The Met Office has issued yellow warnings for ice covering much of Scotland, the North West, and Wales for today, with warnings for snow in the north, and ice for most of the rest of England on Sunday.
A level three cold weather alert has been issued by the UK Health Security Agency.
This covers all of England until midnight on Sunday, with a warning that the weather could “increase the health risks to vulnerable patients and disrupt the delivery of services”.
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Met Office deputy chief forecaster Helen Caughey said: “The northerly airflow and cold conditions which have dominated our weather patterns over the last 10 days will start to lose ground to a push of mild air from the southwest on Sunday.
“As the mild air meets the cold air currently in situ over the UK there will be a transient spell of snow, potentially to low levels, especially in the north.
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“Add to this the risk of rain falling on to frozen surfaces, and strong winds over upland areas of northern Britain, bringing blizzard conditions, and this could be a day to avoid travelling in some areas, although the snow should turn to rain later.
“There is also a brief risk of a period of freezing rain most likely to impact areas from the Pennines northwards, which could result in some power interruptions.”
And even with temperatures expected to rise on Sunday, this could bring blizzard conditions to some parts of the country, with ice and freezing rain creating difficult travel conditions.
The rise in temperature will also bring the risk of burst pipes for households across the country.
Peter Jenkins, director of campaigns at Water UK, said: “The last thing we want is for people to experience further disruption as temperatures rise this weekend, putting many homes at risk of burst pipes due to freeze-thaw.
“That’s why we’re urging everyone to check their water pipes are well insulated now and to follow our simple tips to protect homes against weather conditions.
“If you’re concerned about the impact of freeze-thaw or the cold weather, we encourage you to get in touch with your water company for further help and advice.”
The weather caused problems in parts of Scotland on Friday, with Glasgow Airport temporarily closing its runway, and some schools closed in Aberdeenshire, the Highlands, Perth and Kinross.
On the Shetlands, around 1,600 properties remain without power after heavy snow brought down lines on Monday afternoon.
