UK weather latest: Snow, wind, rain and ice to hit Britain this weekend

Eight yellow warnings in place across country

The Met Office has issued warnings for wind, rain, snow and ice as the UK endures a weekend of wild weather.

Gales of up to 65mph were forecast in Wales and southern England on Saturday, while wintry conditions have gripped Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England.

Forecasters warned widespread icy conditions on Saturday night and Sunday morning would increase the risk of accidents and injuries.

Eight Scottish football matches, including a Premiership fixture, have been called off due to heavy rain and snow. Late pitch inspections were due to be held before other games on Saturday.

The Met Office has issued eight yellow weather warnings across the UK.

“There’s a lot going on,” meteorologist John West told The Independent. “We’ve got an area of low pressure which is bringing very unsettled conditions through Saturday and Sunday.

“It’s wet and windy through most of England and Wales. Further north, though, it’s turning a fair bit more wintry over the hills of Scotland and to some extent the very north of England.

"What we'll see as the rain and snow clears is a really quite cold night tonight for some, so there's a risk of seeing some ice across parts of Scotland, northern England, Northern Ireland and even some parts of Wales."

The unsettled weather comes after Storm Gareth swept over the UK earlier this week, causing widespread travel disruption with strong gales and heavy rain.

There had been erroneous reports that the weather system hitting Britain this weekend would be dubbed Storm Hannah by forecasters, but Mr West said it fell short of the strength required for a named storm.

This weekend's wintry conditions will gave way to milder next week, he added.