“,”elementId”:”63c4b78f-037e-459b-b6a4-10f590534ef9″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
A cold weather health alert has been issued for all regions in England with large parts of the UK set to be hit by snow and freezing rain, after temperatures across the UK plunged as low as -8C (17.6F) on Friday.
“,”elementId”:”a53541fe-8f84-4fa0-ae14-267a4c738d1c”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
The Met Office has warned that the freezing weather could cause delays to rail and air travel, power cuts and the cutting off of rural communities, with up to 30cm of snow forecast in some areas.
“,”elementId”:”aa447801-6793-4e31-8116-6d908755a62b”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
Temperatures of minus 10C were forecast in parts of rural Scotland on Friday night, according to the Met Office.
“,”elementId”:”87418010-5fa7-4ba8-9159-21d32a58a9cd”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
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, is in place from 6pm on Saturday to midday on Sunday, the Met Office said.
“,”elementId”:”443f1d0e-e120-43df-8b3d-97bf0678e593″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
The second warning for snow, covering most of northern England including Leeds, Sheffield and the Lake District, has been issued from 9pm on Saturday to midnight on Sunday.
“,”elementId”:”d34a1490-d40b-4b9d-b9e8-91b874d0681c”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
Three separate yellow weather warnings for snow and ice will be in force for most areas of the UK, covering different periods of time until Monday afternoon.
“,”elementId”:”0bef85cd-4439-4910-91d8-741e9a56fd8a”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
Here’s what else you need to know:
“,”elementId”:”d67f04ba-eab3-417d-878a-3205609d7a81″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
- \n
- \n
The cold weather health alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), lasts until midday on Wednesday. It means it is expected temperatures inside places such as hospitals, care homes and clinics could drop below the recommended levels.
- \n
A baby boy was killed in a crash on Thursday night when a car hit a tree on the A1 near Grantham in Lincolnshire, and police are investigating whether the incident was linked to icy conditions on the carriageway. The baby, who was seven months old, was taken to hospital but was pronounced dead just after 5am, Lincolnshire police said.
- \n
The UK’s lowest temperature of the cold snap so far was recorded in Benson in Oxfordshire, where it was -8.1C on Friday morning, while temperatures dropped to -7.5C in Shap, Cumbria, and -6.7C at Bournemouth airport. In Scotland, the lowest recorded temperature was -6.4C in Eskdalemuir, Dumfries and Galloway.
- \n
Some football games have already been called off this weekend. They include 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 scheduled for Saturday, and Friday night’s Scottish Championship game between Airdrie and leaders Falkirk.
\n
\n
\n
\n
“,”elementId”:”b25fe013-c703-4870-ad9d-08bee4c584ca”}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1735973998000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”01.59 EST”,”blockLastUpdated”:1735973987000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”: “01.59 EST”,”blockFirstPublished”:1735973998000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”01.59 EST”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”01.59″,”title”:”Opening Summary”,”contributors”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Saturday 4 January 2025 02.19 EST”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published Saturday 4 January 2025 01.59 EST”}],”filterKeyEvents”:false,”id”:”key-events-carousel-mobile”,”absoluteServerTimes”:false,”renderingTarget”:”Web”}”>
main events
For those who need to drive today, the Press Association offers the following advice on how to stay safe.
Do not drive if you feel unsafe
Of course, if you really need to be somewhere, this isn't an option, but if you're not confident in your abilities, or are stressed by the prospect of driving in snowy weather, put down the keys and It's always better to stay put. .
Avoid the temptation to drive with a half-clean windshield
This is extremely dangerous. Wait until the windshield is completely defrosted before leaving. Make sure all side windows, rear screens, and side mirrors are also clean before you leave. Additionally, if you fail to properly clean your windscreen, you can be fined for dangerous driving, with the most severe penalties potentially being up to £2,500.
Don't drive with snow left on the roof of your car
If it snows a lot where you live, chances are there's a lot of snow on the roof of your car as well. You might think it's just a quick breeze as you drive away, but subzero temperatures often cause snow to harden and harden on the roof of your car, creating a potential hazard. A large chunk of frozen snow can easily break the windshield of a car driving behind you.
Do not use wipers to defrost your car's windshield
When you get into your car on a frosty morning, it might be a good idea to turn on your wipers as a way to remove ice. However, in sub-zero temperatures, your wipers will freeze quickly, and turning them on will only burn out the motor, which can cause costly damage.
Instead, carefully lift the wiper arm away from the screen to free it from ice, or spray a small amount of de-icer on the arm as a way to make sure it's frost-free.
Do not use boiling water to prevent the screen from freezing.
Pouring boiling water from a kettle onto your car's frozen windshield may seem like a good idea. However, the reality is quite the opposite: changing from one extreme temperature to another can cause your screen to crack. If you have stone debris on your windshield, doing this can make things even worse.
The forecast from the Japan Meteorological Agency for Saturday morning is as follows:
Saturday started with cold weather with widespread ice fog and ice in parts of the north ⚠️
The Northeast will get the best sunshine, but the Northwest will have scattered showers 🌦️
The further south you go, the drier it gets, but the clouds increase, with rain and snow arriving later in the southwest ☔ pic.twitter.com/CYFRKG1KJR
— Japan Meteorological Agency (@metoffice) January 3, 2025
“}}”>
Saturday started with cold weather with widespread ice fog and ice in parts of the north ⚠️
The Northeast will get the best sunshine, but the Northwest will have scattered showers 🌦️
The further south you go, the drier it gets, but the clouds increase, with rain and snow arriving later in the southwest ☔ pic.twitter.com/CYFRKG1KJR
— Japan Meteorological Agency (@metoffice) January 3, 2025
Below are photos taken around the UK on Friday.
Met Office chief forecaster Jason Kelly said there was a chance of “significant accumulation” of snow in parts of Wales, the Midlands and northern England, with further wind-increasing factors potentially causing the piled snow to blow.
He added:
There is a risk of icing in the Midlands and parts of northern England, particularly Wales, with an increased risk of freezing and potentially hazardous conditions in some places.
Supercooled raindrops freeze instantly when they hit the ground, covering everything with a layer of ice, which is extremely dangerous.
Opening overview
good morning. Welcome to the Guardian's live coverage of Britain's frigid weather.
A cold weather warning has been issued across the UK after temperatures across the country fell to -8C (17.6C) on Friday, with snow and freezing rain expected to hit much of the country.
The Japan Meteorological Agency warned that the frigid weather could cause train and air service delays, power outages and cut-offs to rural areas, with up to 30 centimeters of snow expected to fall in some areas.
Temperatures are expected to drop to -10C in parts of rural Scotland on Friday night, the Met Office said.
The Met Office said an Amber warning for snow and rare freezing rain was in place for most parts of Wales and central England, including the Midlands and north-west cities of Liverpool and Manchester, from 6pm on Saturday until midday on Sunday. It is said that it is.
A second snow warning covering much of the north of England, including Leeds, Sheffield and the Lake District, was in place from 9pm on Saturday until midnight on Sunday.
Three separate yellow weather warnings for snow and ice have been issued for most parts of the UK, covering different periods until Monday afternoon.
Here's what else you need to know:
-
A cold weather warning issued by the UK Health and Safety Agency (UKHSA) will remain in place until midday on Wednesday. This means it is expected that temperatures within locations such as hospitals, care homes and clinics may fall below recommended levels.
-
A boy has died after his car collided with a tree on the A1 motorway near Grantham, Lincolnshire, on Thursday night. Police are investigating whether the incident is related to the icy roadway.. The seven-month-old baby was taken to hospital, where she was pronounced dead just after 5am, Lincolnshire Police said.
-
The lowest temperature of the cold wave so far in the UK was recorded in Benson, Oxfordshire, on Friday morning with a temperature of -8.1C, while in Shapp, Cumbria the temperature dropped to -7.5C and at Bournemouth Airport it dropped to -6.7C.. In Scotland, Eskdalemuir, Dumfries and Galloway recorded a low of -6.4C.
-
Some soccer matches have already been canceled this weekend. These include Cheltenham's clash with League Two leaders Walsall, scheduled to take place on Saturday, Halifax's National League home game against Fylde, also scheduled for Saturday, and Airdrie and Scottish leaders Falkirk on Friday night. Includes championship matches.
