Britain is bracing for temperatures to plummet to -8C as Met Office yellow warnings spark travel chaos across the nation.
The Arctic blast has prompted widespread alerts for snow and ice covering most of England and Wales.
Forecasters warn of potential significant disruption as a wall of snow is set to sweep across the country, stretching from Devon in the south to the far reaches of Scotland.
The UK Health Security Agency issued amber cold weather alerts for all of England, with warnings of severe impacts on health services.
Met Office warnings indicate up to 5cm of snow could accumulate widely across the Midlands, Wales and Northern England. Over high ground in Wales and the Pennines, forecasters predict accumulations could reach 20-30cm, with some parts of the Pennines potentially seeing up to 40cm.
Strong winds may lead to snow drifting, while freezing rain could create treacherous conditions, particularly across Wales, the Midlands and Northern England. The yellow warning for snow and ice covers most regions of England from noon on Saturday until noon on Monday, excluding only Cornwall in the far southwest.
Dan Stroud, a meteorologist at the Met Office, said: "There'll be widespread frost across the country from Land's End to John O'Groats.
"It will be comfortably below where we should be for this time of year and I would expect temperatures to hit minus 8C in parts of Scotland."
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The UK Health Security Agency's amber alerts, in place until January 8, warn of a likely rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions. Health services could become overwhelmed with demand as temperatures continue to plummet, the agency cautioned.
The NHS Black Country integrated care board has urged the public to avoid going out early when frost is thick or late at night when it's dark.
In Herefordshire, the Wye Valley NHS Trust advised people to stock up on food and medicine and take measures to reduce home draughts. About 5cm of snow is expected widely across the Midlands, Wales and northern England, with as much as 20-30cm over high ground in Wales and the Pennines, the forecaster added.
Strong winds could lead to snow drifts in some areas, and freezing rain as temperatures creep up could add to the risk of ice.
The Met Office has warned people to be prepared and aware when travelling with longer journey times likely.
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.
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The Arctic blast has prompted widespread alerts for snow and ice covering most of England and Wales.
Forecasters warn of potential significant disruption as a wall of snow is set to sweep across the country, stretching from Devon in the south to the far reaches of Scotland.
The UK Health Security Agency issued amber cold weather alerts for all of England, with warnings of severe impacts on health services.
Met Office warnings indicate up to 5cm of snow could accumulate widely across the Midlands, Wales and Northern England. Over high ground in Wales and the Pennines, forecasters predict accumulations could reach 20-30cm, with some parts of the Pennines potentially seeing up to 40cm.
Strong winds may lead to snow drifting, while freezing rain could create treacherous conditions, particularly across Wales, the Midlands and Northern England. The yellow warning for snow and ice covers most regions of England from noon on Saturday until noon on Monday, excluding only Cornwall in the far southwest.
Dan Stroud, a meteorologist at the Met Office, said: "There'll be widespread frost across the country from Land's End to John O'Groats.
"It will be comfortably below where we should be for this time of year and I would expect temperatures to hit minus 8C in parts of Scotland."
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The UK Health Security Agency's amber alerts, in place until January 8, warn of a likely rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions. Health services could become overwhelmed with demand as temperatures continue to plummet, the agency cautioned.
The NHS Black Country integrated care board has urged the public to avoid going out early when frost is thick or late at night when it's dark.
In Herefordshire, the Wye Valley NHS Trust advised people to stock up on food and medicine and take measures to reduce home draughts. About 5cm of snow is expected widely across the Midlands, Wales and northern England, with as much as 20-30cm over high ground in Wales and the Pennines, the forecaster added.
Strong winds could lead to snow drifts in some areas, and freezing rain as temperatures creep up could add to the risk of ice.
The Met Office has warned people to be prepared and aware when travelling with longer journey times likely.
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.
Find Out More...