UK weather live: Snow and ice to hit Britain as Met Office warns of rare freezing rain

According to the Met Office:

The cold air will still be close by through Sunday and Monday. Southern parts of the UK will be mostly dry but cloudy, but further north rain, drizzle and some hill snow will continue in places.

Brighter conditions with spells of sunshine are likely to develop for many areas on Tuesday before milder and more unsettled conditions begin to move in from the Atlantic during the second half of next week.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a cold weather alert covering parts of North East England, Yorkshire and the Humber.

Cold temperatures are set to persist across the UK this weekend, with some heavier rain also forecast in southern Wales and southwestern England.

The icy conditions are expected to have minor impacts on health and social care services, and will pose a greater risk to the lives of vulnerable people, the UKHSA warns.

According to the UKHSA, the icy conditions are expected to have minor impacts on health and social care services, including:

• increased use of healthcare services by vulnerable people
• greater risk to life of vulnerable people

Britain is braced for snow, ice and freezing rain this weekend – a rare phenomenon which can bring down trees and ground planes, the Met Office warned.

Alexander Butler reports:

Met Office chief meteorologist, Matthew Lehnert, said: “Through Saturday the rain will move further east and as it does, it’ll bump into the colder air meaning some snow is likely, mainly for parts of Northern England, covered by the snow and ice warning.

“2 to 5cm is possible over the Cheviots and North Yorks Moors, and it’s possible we could see some localised accumulations to lower levels.

“Some freezing rain could affect higher parts of the Pennines for a time too leading to icy conditions. Some snow is possible outside the warning area, although amounts are likely to be small.”

Here is the Met Office forecast for Friday:

Rather cloudy and windy across Northern Ireland, south and west Wales as well as southwest England, with some outbreaks of rain. A few showers in the far northeast. Elsewhere, early frost clearing then dry with bright spells. Another cold day.

Patchy rain moving northeast across the UK, giving some snow and perhaps freezing rain over some of the hills. Clear spells across the far north and southeast, with some frost.

The Met Office has issued a weather warning for snow and ice, which it says could lead to some disruption on Saturday.

Forecasters say to expect:

• Some roads and railways likely to be affected with longer journey times by road, bus and train services
• Probably some icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths
• Some injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces

The Met Office has warned that freezing rain could be possible in areas above 200m over the Pennines.

Freezing rain – commonly known as ice storms in North America – is not often seen in the UK because the conditions needed for it are quite specific.

It is rainfall that has become “supercooled” as it falls from the sky, travelling through various temperatures in the atmosphere.

It starts as sleet or hail high up in the atmosphere, but as it travels down it melts through a layer of warmer air, then refreezes again through a layer of colder air near the surface.

The effects can be visually striking, but also very hazardous if taking place on roads or pavements.

A yellow weather warning for ice and snow has been issued across parts of the UK this weekend.

Alexander Butler has more details in this report:

The Met Office has issued a weather warning for snow and ice, stretching from above Newcastle in the north, to Bradford further south.