Large parts of the UK will be hit by heavy snow and freezing rain which could lead to disruption this weekend amid two amber weather warnings.
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 spell of wintry conditions, the Met Office said.
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.
According to tracking site FlightAware, Heathrow Airport saw 240 flight delays and at least 18 cancellations on Saturday as snow and freezing conditions disrupted travel plans. The wintry weather has caused significant disruption across the capital’s transport network.
A Met Office spokesperson confirmed the temperatures reached a low of minus 8.6C in Aboyne in Aberdeenshire overnight.
Chilly conditions were expected to continue for most of Saturday, today with most places ranging from 2-5C, with highs of 7C in south-west England
The coldest temperature recorded in January last year was minus 14C, in Dalwhinnie in the Highlands.
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.
Councils across London and southern England have activated emergency measures including additional accommodation to help rough sleepers stay safe during the cold snap.
Port of London Authority urges caution near River Thames
18:03 , Anthony France
The Port of London Authority issues 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.”
The Canal & River Trust has advice on staying safe near water during the winter – that includes planning your route, taking a friend and slowing down.
The Trust also advises that you keep to well-lit areas and take a phone.
Police attend multiple-vehicle collision on Wrynose Pass in Lake District
17:57 , Anthony France
Cumbria Police said on Saturday afternoon that it had received numerous calls about a multiple-vehicle collision on Wrynose Pass in the Lake District.
In a post on social media, the force added that there was “a lot of snow and ice” on the road.
Airports play down impact of the weather
16:07 , Will Mata
Both Gatwick and Heathrow airports have played down the impact the weather has had on operations.
Both London hubs have had a number of delayed flights and cancellations but have stressed this is not due to the snow and ice hitting the UK.
Gatwick said it has had seven cancellations today, three not being due to weather and the other four being “proactive,” with passengers not at the airport.
Heathrow also responded to a request for comment to say that no cancellations were to do with bad weather and that there has been no snow locally.
Hundreds of delays at London airports
15:00 , Will Mata
Hundreds of flights have been delayed out of London Gatwick and Heathrow airports on Saturday, according to data on Flight Aware.
The website said at Gatwich there have been 10 cancellations and 215 delays. At Heathrow it is a similar story with 22 cancellations and 240 delays, according to the latest.
It has not been stated if the disruption is weather related.
Some football games also called off
13:20 , Will Mata
To add to the earlier update, some games lower down the pyramid have been called off.
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, have both been postponed.
Friday night’s Scottish Championship game between Airdrie and leaders Falkirk did not take place.
All Premier League games are set to go ahead.
Horse racing abandoned at Sandown Park
13:17 , Will Mata
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”.
In a statement posted on social media, the racecourse added: “Following this morning’s inspection, sadly racing today has been abandoned due to frozen ground.”
Police probe baby death – icy road link
12:11 , Will Mata
Lincolnshire Police has said it is 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.
How can you help homeless people in need
11:30 , Will Mata
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has issued the year’s first Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) as temperatures in the capital have plummeted to below freezing in the first few days of 2025.
The measures ensure extra emergency accommodation is available for people who may be sleeping rough during periods of severe weather.
The mayor, London councils and homeless charities work together to ensure accommodation is open across the city, as there is currently no legal requirement for local authorities to provide shelter during extreme weather conditions.
If you see someone sleeping rough you can make a referral via StreetLink. The service sends an alert to local outreach teams, who take to the streets at nighttime to connect people who are or who are preparing to sleep rough with local support services. You can make a referral via their website, or by calling them on 0300 500 0914.
Premier League update: Games still going ahead?
11:21 , Will Mata
No Premier League football had been called off on Saturday, at the time of writing.
Liverpool are hosting Manchester United on Sunday when the worst of the weather might be felt. Neither club has stated that the game at Anfield is off, however, despite the potential for fans having transport issues.
Here are all the Premier League fixtures for Saturday
Tottenham Hotspur vs Newcastle United
Time: 12.30 PM
Bournemouth vs Everton
Time: 3pm
Aston Villa vs Leicester City
Time: 3pm
Crystal Palace vs Chelsea
Time: 3pm
Southampton vs Brentford
Time: 3pm
Manchester City vs West Ham United
Time: 3pm
Brighton vs Arsenal
Time: 5.30pm
Guidance for how to drive in snow
11:00 , Will Mata
The AA has published advice on how to stay safe while driving in the snow and suggested that anyone should question if they really need to drive at all before heading out.
“Accelerate gently when moving off in snow, avoiding harsh speeds that could cause wheelspin,” the AA advice reads.
“Start off in second gear using low revs, and ease your foot off the clutch gently.
“Instead of using the brake pedal, cycle down the gears to use engine braking. You can tap the brake pedal lightly to make drivers behind aware that you’re slowing down.
“Leave plenty of room between your vehicle and the one in front.”
Warning for drivers
10:30 , Will Mata
Roads are being gritted around the home counties in preparation for snow and Kent Highways said it has been “receiving reports of collisions on areas with water run off that has turned to ice”.
National Highways has said that travel could be disrupted based on Met Office forecasting.
“Road users should heed messages on the overhead signs and listen for radio updates,” a page of guidance reads.
“Road users are advised to take extra care if travelling over the weekend.”
Warning from Network Rail
10:00 , Will Mata
Network Rail has warned that the alerts could see trains disrupted or cancelled.
“Ice and snow can mean speed restrictions and line closures are implemented to ensure trains are able to run safely on the railway,” a statement read.
“In very cold weather, snow and ice can build up on the tracks blocking points, the equipment that allows trains to move between tracks.”
Trains delayed on LNER line after person hit by train
09:35 , Will Mata
Lines have now reopened on the LNER after a person was hit by a train between Newcastle and Edinburgh.
“As service returns to normal, trains running between these stations may still be cancelled, delayed by up to 60 minutes or revised,” LNER has said.
Disruption is expected until 10am.
Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123
Cold weather protocols activated across country
09:30 , Will Mata
Cold weather protocols have been activated in various parts of the country to help rough sleepers as the UK faces a New Year’s cold front.
Rough sleepers in London, Norwich, Bournemouth, Poole, and Northamptonshire are among those who will receive extra support to deal with the cold.
The Severe Weather Emergency Protocols (SWEP) are triggered when there’s a prolonged period of sub-zero temperatures.
Local authorities will contact rough sleepers and work to ensure they have a warm place to sleep.
Could London see snow?
09:00 , Will Mata
Forecasts suggest London could see snow over two periods, the first on Saturday between 5pm and 10pm, and then the second from 10pm on Sunday to 2am on Monday morning.
Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said: “At the moment we’ve issued a very large snow warning for Saturday until Monday but it doesn’t mean that everywhere within that warning could see snow, it’s just a heads-up there could be some impacts.
“It’s definitely going to start off as snow in many places but it’s a question of how quickly that snow melts and turns back to rain, it’s more likely that the snow won’t last that long in southern England.”
Temperatures bottom out at -8C in Scotland
08:45 , Will Mata
A Met Office spokesperson confirmed the temperatures reached a low of minus 8.6C in Aboyne in Aberdeenshire overnight.
Chilly conditions were expected to continue for most of Saturday, today with most places ranging from 2-5C, with highs of 7C in south-west England
The coldest temperature recorded in January last year was minus 14C, in Dalwhinnie in the Highlands.
What is an amber alert?
08:30 , Will Mata
An amber alert means that cold weather impacts are likely to be felt across the “whole health service” for an extended period of time.
The alert also means there is potential for the “whole population to be at risk” and that “a coordinated response” may be required.
It comes after a series of yellow weather warnings were already issued across the UK, for areasincluding London, by the forecaster between Friday and Monday.
Dozens of parkruns cancelled
08:19 , Will Mata
Dozens of parkruns have been cancelled across the UK due to the weather on Saturday.
Tooting Common is one of the London parkruns that will not be going ahead.
“Water feature turning into ice rink,” was the reason given.
Here is the full list of cancelled parkruns.
Railways likely to see delays and cancellations
08:13 , Will Mata
Railways are likely to experience delays or cancellations, with National Rail confirming that various routes across England, Scotland and Wales are impacted.
Poor weather is currently affecting National Rail’s Northern and ScotRail services.
In Wales, buses are replacing trains between Llandudno Junction and Blaenau Ffestiniog.
The yellow warning indicates there could be icy surfaces in northern and western Scotland, the north-west of England and Northern Ireland, so motorists and pedestrians alike are warned to be wary of icy patches on untreated roads, pavements, or cycle paths.
Amber cold health alert for all regions until Wednesday
08:00 , Will Mata
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued an amber cold-health alert (CHA) for all regions of England until midday next Wednesday.
The agency said that low temperatures were likely to result in increased use of health care services by vulnerable people and an increase in risk to health for individuals aged 65 and above, as well as those with pre-existing health conditions.
Amber weather warnings for the weekend
07:48 , Will Mata
Two amber weather warnings for snow and ice have been issued for parts of England and Wales over the weekend.
A warning for snow and freezing rain covering most of Wales and central England is in place from 6pm on Saturday to midday on Sunday, the Met Office said on Friday.
The second warning for snow, covering most of northern England, has been issued from 9pm on Saturday to midnight on Sunday.
Up to 30cm of snowfall is expected locally in both warning areas, with 3 to 7cm likely in other areas.
Travel warnings for road and rail issued
07:42 , Will Mata
Alerts have been given for road and rail travel across the UK after the Met Office warned snow and freezing rain could bring severe disruption.
The weather agency has warnings in place for the next three days, including an amber level snow and ice alert for the weekend covering most of Wales and central England.
London is covered by a yellow warning, with the Met Office warning a chance of travel delays on roads with some stranded vehicles and passengers, along with delayed or cancelled rail and air travel.