Britain braced for Arctic freeze as Met Office forecasts snow this week

An Arctic blast is set to bring up to 10cm of snow to some parts of northern Scotland and northern England

An Arctic blast is set to bring up to 10cm of snow to Britain as the Met Office warned of travel disruption and power cuts across the country.

The snow is expected in low-lying areas of northern Scotland and northern England, with a chance the south of England could be hit from Tuesday.

It comes as the forecaster issued yellow snow and ice warnings across Scotland, Northern Ireland, northern England and parts of Wales over the next week.

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“On Tuesday, we are going to see more rain turning to snow moving east across the country, with more prolonged snow and more accumulations at low levels in the north of Scotland and northern England.

A man walks through snow last week. The Met Office has issued further yellow snow and ice warnings for next week (PA Wire)

“That’s where we could see 5cm or 10cm of snow in low-lying areas. There’s a very low chance the south might see a bit of it,” Met Office meteorologist Honor Criswick said.

A snow and ice warning is in place from 3am on Monday until 9am on Tuesday across Northern Ireland. In Scotland a similar warning is in place in northern areas from midnight on Sunday until midnight on Monday.

The warning area will then spread across the whole of Scotland and into northern England on Tuesday. A snow warning is in place from midnight on Wednesday until midnight on Thursday across northern Ireland, northern and western Scotland, parts of northern England and Wales.

Met Office meteorologist Liam Eslick added: “We’re looking at a strong northerly wind which is bringing in Arctic airmass which is cold and is bringing in these wintry showers across windward parts.

“Towards the north where we do have these warnings we’re likely to see some some travel disruption. We recommend people take their time, make sure they have time to do their cars in the mornings, and go steady,” he added.

Meanwhile, a yellow cold-health alert remains for the North East of England, Yorkshire and the Humber, East of England, South East of England and London for much of the incoming week.

Issued by the UK Health Security Agency, the amber alert means “cold weather impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service for an extended period of time”.