The UK is gearing up for another painfully cold spell as the Met Office issues fresh cautions across 41 areas, warning of dangerous ice, further snow showers, and temperatures set to plunge as low as -12 °C.
It follows several days of wide downtime, rainfall, heavy showers and strong winds that have formerly caused academy closures, dangerous roads and power cuts in the corridor of the country.
Foretellers say the UK is on track to witness the coldest night of downtime so far, with conditions anticipated to worsen overnight before easing slightly into the weekend.
Sleet, Snow and Ice Set to Cause a Disruptive Friday
Commuters across the UK are being urged to take care on Friday morning, with the Met Office warning that a messy combination of “rain, sleet, wet snow and small hail” will leave many surfaces slick and hazardous.
As overnight frost sets in, icy patches are expected to linger through the morning rush hour.
The Met Office has repeated its advice to the public to “keep yourself and your family safe when it’s icy”, reminding anyone heading out to allow redundant time for the trip and to plan routes precisely.
With inclement temperatures, slippery pavements, and reduced visibility, the morning commute could prove delicate for motorists, cyclists and climbers across much of the UK.
Fresh Snowfall Likely in the North East and Scotland
Foretellers are keeping a close eye on the North East of England, where wintry showers feeding in from the North Sea may deliver up to 3 cm of fresh snow in places, including Newcastle upon Tyne and surrounding municipalities.
Scotland is also bracing for further UK snowfall, particularly in the mountains and northern islands, where up to 5 cm could accumulate, enough to cause further trip dislocation, especially on unprepared roads.
Some communities could wake up to temperatures nearing –12 °C, making this the harshest point of the cold snap.
Forecaster Simon Partridge explained why temperatures will fall so sharply, saying: “It does look like we will have the coldest night of this winter so far, widely areas are below freezing… the main difference… is the winds are a lot lighter.”
Despite the severe cold, Partridge added a note of optimism, saying: “Friday is really the end of the really cold weather as things turn back to average by the time we get into the weekend.”
Recent Disruption Across the UK
This week’s severe cold spell has already resulted in:
• Schools shutting down due to unsafe conditions
• Road closures caused by heavy snowfall and ice
• Power outages affecting homes in the worst-hit areas
• Ongoing delays on some public transport routes
Local authorities continue to monitor conditions closely, with gritters and emergency crews working overnight to manage risk on main roads.
Regions Under Current Weather Warnings
Scotland – Grampian, Highlands & Islands:
- Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray
- Highland, Eilean Siar
- Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands
North East England:
- Darlington, Durham, Gateshead
- Hartlepool, Middlesbrough
- Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, Northumberland
- Redcar and Cleveland, South Tyneside
- Stockton-on-Tees, Sunderland
SW Scotland, Lothian & Borders:
- East Lothian, Scottish Borders
Yorkshire & Humber:
- East Riding of Yorkshire
- Kingston upon Hull
- North Yorkshire
- York
- North East Lincolnshire
- North Lincolnshire
East Midlands:
- Lincolnshire
East of England:
- Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk
London & South East England:
- East Sussex, Kent
Wales:
- Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion
- Conwy, Gwynedd
- Isle of Anglesey
- Pembrokeshire
Weekend Weather Outlook
Although Friday marks the peak of this week’s freezing temperatures, the UK rainfall cast suggests milder conditions will edge in from Saturday onwards.
utmost areas should see a return to more typical late-November rainfall, though mopping patches of ice and leftover snow may continue to exacerbate some original issues.
