UK weather – latest: Snow and ice warnings as Brits warned conditions ‘worse rather than better’

Saturday and Sunday slapped with fresh set of alerts for snow and ice

Cars stranded on motorway as M62 at standstill following heavy snow

Britain has been warned of more snow and ice this weekend after temperatures plummeted to -10C overnight.

Conditions are “actually going to get worse rather than better”, said Andrew Page-Dove of the National Highways, as there is risk of freezing rain on the roads after Storm Larisa.

The Met Office has issued yellow warnings for snow and ice which cover large swathes of the country.

Met Office meteorologist Matthew Box said rain, sleet and snow will push northeast across the country during the weekend, likely falling on the hills and mountains of the Pennines, the Cumbrian vales and some parts of Scotland.

But added snowfall would be “nothing to the same extent as what we saw on Thursday”.

It comes after persistent snowfall caused “absolute carnage” on the M62 trans-Pennine motorway on Friday.

Storm Larisa brought with it “treacherous conditions”, with 50mph winds and up to 40cm of snow forecast in some areas.

Key Points

• Conditions to be ‘worse rather than better’
• Snow warnings extended to weekend as travel ‘chaos’ set to continue
• Motorists report delays of six hours on snow-covered M62
• Met Office shares update on when snow will clear
• Tens of thousands of homes without power as snow storms sweep across country
• Schools closed today as Storm Larisa set to bring 'treacherous conditions’

[10 March 2023 03:23 · Maroosha Muzaffar]

Snow and ice expected to cause further disruption across the island

Further disruption is expected across the island of Ireland on Friday as severe snowy and icy conditions hampered commuters in their travels.

Snow fell heavily in some parts of Ireland, as buses and lorries were seen skidding off road in some areas.

Hundreds of people in Cork and dozens in Northern Ireland were also left without power on Thursday night.

Read the full story by PA here:

[10 March 2023 03:35 · Maroosha Muzaffar]

‘Treacherous conditions’ warning as Storm Larisa blizzards forecast

Storm Larisa is set to bring “treacherous conditions” to the UK on Friday morning, with 50mph winds and up to 40cm of snow forecast in some areas.

The Met Office has issued three amber warnings for northern England, the Midlands, North Wales and Northern Ireland, where “significant disruption” to transport and power supplies is expected.

Three yellow warnings for snow also cover much of the rest of the nation, with the exception of southern England and western Scotland.

Met Office meteorologist Jonathan Vautrey said the storm, which has been named by the French weather service, is bringing rain and snow to the UK.

“Storm Larisa, which Meteo France have named, is the same low-pressure system that is bringing us the bands of rain,” he said.

[10 March 2023 03:45 · Maroosha Muzaffar]

Storm Larisa to bring blizzards to UK as thousands of homes hit by power cuts

Blizzards are forecast for parts of Britain on Friday morning as Storm Larisa arrives, with 50mph winds and up to 40cm of snow in a cold snap that has already left thousands without power.

The Met Office issued three amber warnings for northern England, the Midlands, North Wales and Northern Ireland, where “significant disruption” to transport and power supplies is expected.

Three yellow warnings for snow also cover much of the rest of Britain, with the exception of southern England and western Scotland.

Storm Larisa is set to bring “treacherous conditions” to the UK on Thursday night and Friday morning, with 50mph winds and up to 40cm of snow forecast in some areas.

Read the full story here:

[10 March 2023 04:00 · Eleanor Noyce]

When do schools have to close due to snow?

Snow, ice and freezing temperatures caused disruption across the UK in January as an Arctic blast swept across the country.

While February was much milder, even spring-like, at times, forecasters are now warning that a new cold snap is about to descend, bringing spells of snow and icy conditions stretch to parts of northern and eastern England causing by freezing Arctic air and prompting the Met Office to issue a yellow warning alert.

Up to 5-10cm of snow is likely to accumulate over northern Scotland, which has been witnessing chilly conditions since Sunday with temperatures feared to plummet as low as -10C.

In other areas, temperatures are expected to be close to the freezing point as rain, sleet and snow edge slowly southwards, while maximum temperatures are also forecast to be in the single digits.

Emily Atkinson reports:

[10 March 2023 04:09 · Maroosha Muzaffar]

More yellow weather warnings in place for snow and ice across parts of Scotland

More yellow weather warnings for snow and ice are in place across Scotland today as the country experienced some of the coldest March temperatures for 13 years this week.

A warning for snow and ice is in place for most of northern and eastern Scotland, as well as the central belt.

A further yellow warning is in place for southern Scotland across Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders.

Warnings for snow and ice are also in place through the weekend until Sunday for much of Scotland except for the western Highlands.

[10 March 2023 04:22 · Maroosha Muzaffar]

Storm Larisa batters parts of UK with blizzards as travel warnings issued

Storm Larisa is set to batter parts of the UK with gales and blizzards overnight on Thursday and into Friday.

The Met Office has issued three amber warnings for northern England, the Midlands, North Wales and Northern Ireland, where “significant disruption” to transport and power supplies is expected.

Four yellow warnings for snow also cover much of the rest of the nation, with the exception of South East England and western Scotland.

Met Office meteorologist Jonathan Vautrey said the storm, which has been named by the French weather service, is bringing rain and snow to the UK.

“Storm Larisa, which Meteo France have named, is the same low-pressure system that is bringing us the bands of rain,” he said.

[10 March 2023 04:31 · Maroosha Muzaffar]

Schools closed today as Storm Larisa set to bring 'treacherous conditions’

Schools across the UK have been forced to close again today due to heavy snow and freezing temperatures.

Met Office has issued yellow and amber weather warnings across the UK as Storm Larisa is set to bring “treacherous conditions” on Friday morning, with 50mph winds and up to 40cm of snow forecast in some areas.

Thousands of pupils will miss class while Met Office yellow and amber weather warnings are in force.

[10 March 2023 04:34 · Maroosha Muzaffar]

Mapped: Where snow will fall on Friday as amber warnings issued

New maps have revealed where snow will fall as the UK is gripped by freezing temperatures.

As temperatures continue to plummet amidst the Arctic blast, areas across the UK have been swept by snow and ice, with the Met Office issuing weather warnings across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

All areas north of Birmingham have been issued with a combination of yellow and amber warnings. Following snowfall across northern England on Thursday morning, snow will continue to fall throughout the afternoon and overnight into early Friday morning.

[10 March 2023 04:50 · Maroosha Muzaffar]

Storm Larisa to bring blizzards to UK as thousands of homes hit by power cuts

Blizzards are forecast for parts of Britain on Friday morning as Storm Larisa arrives, with 50mph winds and up to 40cm of snow in a cold snap that has already left thousands without power.

The Met Office issued three amber warnings for northern England, the Midlands, North Wales and Northern Ireland, where “significant disruption” to transport and power supplies is expected.

Three yellow warnings for snow also cover much of the rest of Britain, with the exception of southern England and western Scotland.

Storm Larisa is set to bring “treacherous conditions” to the UK on Thursday night and Friday morning, with 50mph winds and up to 40cm of snow forecast in some areas.

[10 March 2023 05:00 · Eleanor Noyce]

How to protect your homes from ice and snow

The Met Office forecast for snow across the UK and icy weather both pose a challenge over potential damage to homes.

The Met Office has already issued a yellow warning for snow and ice, with more areas in the Midlands, much of Wales and the southeast, including London, under alert for snow on Tuesday morning as Arctic air sweeps across the country.

As conditions are set to worsen over the week, with thick snow set to cover several areas, homeowners could face large repair bills if they don’t protect their homes, experts warn.

Snow and ice can wreak havoc on homes, from frozen and burst pipes to roof leaks from heavy snow on the roof, all of which could result in costly repair bills, say experts.

“Wintry weather will always be challenging for our homes, but when spring is right around the corner, cold snaps can be unexpected and many people may not be prepared for the damage that cold weather can do to properties,” says Natalie White, head of brand communications at the find-a-tradesperson platform Rated People.