Arctic blast sweeps London and South East bringing snow and freezing rain as amber warnings come into force

Large parts of the UK, including London and the South East, are braced for heavy snow, sub-zero temperatures and freezing rain which could lead to disruption this weekend.

Stranded vehicles on the roads, delayed or cancelled rail and air travel and power cuts are all likely as the country grapples with a week-long Arctic blast of wintry conditions, the Met Office said amid two amber weather warnings.

Its latest radar maps show a mixture of rain, sleet and snow moving into southern parts of England and Wales during the spell.

There is also a “good chance” that rural communities could be cut off thanks to the weather, with up to 30cm of snowfall expected in some areas.

Councils across London and southern England have activated emergency measures, including additional accommodation to help rough sleepers stay safe during the cold snap. Snow fell in Basingstoke, Watford and Wiltshire.

The National Grid said there were a number of power cuts where it was working to restore power across the Midlands, south-west England and South Wales on Saturday evening, including in Birmingham, Bristol and Cardiff.

Bristol Airport suspended its operations due to the snowfall, and advised customers to contact their airlines directly.

Cumbria Police said on Saturday afternoon that it had received numerous calls about a six-vehicle collision on Wrynose Pass in the Lake District.

The occupants were safely rescued.

In a post on social media, the force added that there was “a lot of snow and ice” on the road.

A Met Office spokesperson confirmed the temperatures reached a low of -8.6C in Aboyne in Aberdeenshire overnight.

Chilly conditions were expected to continue for most of Saturday, with most places ranging from 2-5C, with highs of 7C in south-west England.

The coldest temperature recorded in January last year was -14C, in Dalwhinnie in the Highlands.

BBC Points West reported snow flurries near Bristol, Longleat, Wiltshire and along the M5 corridor through Somerset at 7pm.

An amber warning for snow and rare freezing rain covering most of Wales and central England, including the Midlands and the north-west cities of Liverpool and Manchester, came into effect at 6pm on Saturday and lasts until midday on Sunday, the Met Office said.

The second warning for snow, covering most of northern England including Leeds, Sheffield and the Lake District, starts at 9pm on Saturday and will remain in place until midnight on Sunday.

Both of the warning areas can expect to see 3cm to 7cm of snowfall widely, while snow may mix with rain at times in lower-lying areas, the forecaster said.

A Met Office spokesperson confirmed the temperatures reached a low of -8.6C in Aboyne in Aberdeenshire overnight.

Chilly conditions were expected to continue for most of Saturday, with most places ranging from 2-5C, with highs of 7C in south-west England.

The coldest temperature recorded in January last year was -14C, in Dalwhinnie in the Highlands.

Additional yellow weather warnings for snow and ice will be in force for most areas of the UK, covering different periods of time over the weekend.

A yellow warning for snow and ice from midday on Saturday to midnight on Sunday has been issued for much of England and Wales not covered by the amber warnings.

The Met Office has also issued a yellow warning for snow and ice covering much of Northern Ireland from 9pm on Saturday to 6pm on Sunday.

A yellow warning for ice is in place for the north of Scotland from 4pm on Saturday to 10am on Sunday while a yellow warning for snow in the Shetland Islands was issued for Saturday from 10am to 6pm.

There is also a yellow warning for rain covering much of Wales and the West Midlands on Sunday from 6am to 9pm.

National Highways warned a “spell of disruptive snow” would spread across southern and central parts of the road network on Saturday night.

Drivers in high-altitude areas, particularly the Cotswolds and Peak District, were warned to take particular care. Gwent Police issued a warning for black ice on Friday.

Road users in England’s north were warned up to 25cm of snow could hit parts of the network including the A66 Old Spittal, A628 Woodhead Pass and M62 at Windy Hill.

Horse racing at Sandown Park in Surrey was abandoned on Saturday, with the racecourse saying the weather meant there “would not be sufficient time for the ground to become raceable”.

Met Office chief forecaster Jason Kelly said some “significant accumulations” of snow are possible in parts of Wales, the Midlands and northern England, and the additional factor of strengthening winds could lead to drifting of lying snow.

He continued: “There is a risk of freezing rain across parts of the Midlands and northern England, but especially Wales, adding to the risk of ice and leading to some treacherous conditions in places.

“As the super-cooled rain droplets hit the surface they instantly freeze, covering everything in a layer of ice, making it extremely dangerous.”

It comes after Lincolnshire Police said it was investigating whether a crash near Grantham which left a seven-month-old baby dead on Thursday night was linked to icy conditions.

A yellow Honda Jazz car left the southbound carriageway on the A1 shortly after 10.50pm before it hit a tree and returned to the road.

UK Health Security Agency cold weather health alerts for all of England remain in place ahead of a week of low temperatures.

Amber alerts were issued on Thursday and will run until January 8, meaning a rise in deaths is likely, the agency said.

Some football games were called off, including Cheltenham’s clash with League Two leaders Walsall which was due to take place on Saturday, Halifax’s National League home game against Fylde which was also set for Saturday, while Friday night’s Scottish Championship game between Airdrie and leaders Falkirk did not take place.

Meanwhile, Saturday’s race meeting at Newcastle has been abandoned because the course is frozen.

Milder air will briefly cover some southern areas during the weekend before a new northerly flow allows colder conditions to return across the UK next week, the Met Office said.

Deputy chief forecaster Dan Holley said temperatures would remain below average with some areas struggling to get above freezing for several days.

Further weather warnings could be issued for the start of next week.

Both Gatwick and Heathrow airports have played down the impact the weather has had on operations.

Both experienced a number of delayed flights and cancellations on Saturday but stressed this is not due to the snow and ice hitting the UK.

Gatwick said it has had seven axed seven routes, three not being due to weather and the other four being “proactive,” with passengers not at the airport.

The Port of London Authority issued warnings and advice to stay safe this weekend.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, they asked people to “exercise caution near the Thames”.

It added: “Remember to Respect The River. Only go afloat if you are experienced and have taken necessary safety precautions.”

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