UK weather: Urgent ice warning as health alert extended & snow shuts schools in -14C freeze – with ‘huge shift’ on way

THE Met Office has issued an urgent ice warning and a health alert has been extended after snow shut schools in a -14C freeze.

Heavy snow and sub-zero temperatures have battered the country this week with forecasters issuing further weather warnings for the weekend.

Much of the UK endured temperatures below freezing overnight, with Met Office data indicating the mercury fell to as low as -13.6C at Tulloch Bridge in the Highlands.

Amber and yellow warnings for snow and ice were already issued by the Met Office across Scotland and coastal areas in England and Wales on Thursday.

Now, a new yellow weather warning for ice across parts of Wales and Southwest England is in place from 6pm tonight until Friday at 10am.

An amber warning for snow across northern Scotland, the Orkney and Shetland Islands is in place until 6pm on Thursday, with the potential for up to 20cm more snowfall.

Meanwhile, a yellow weather warning for wind has been issued for Sunday across the UK - except Shetland and south east England.

The warning runs for 24 hours from 6am on Sunday, and the Met Office warned winds of up to 70mph could hit exposed coasts, with up to 60mph inland.

A "big change" is also set to be on the way come the end of the week according to meteorologists.

Forecasters say rain and winds are on the cards for the upcoming weekend after the frosty conditions battered Brits.

A Met Office statement said: "It is on Sunday we are going to see the wettest and windiest weather, particular towards northern and western parts."

Meanwhile, an amber cold-health alert issued by the Met Office and UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for the North East this week has been extended until midday on Saturday, January 20.

Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at UKHSA Agostinho Sousa warned Brits as they could face a dangerous health risk.

He said: "The temperatures we will see leading into the week ahead can rapidly have serious impact on the health of those over the age of 65 and those with pre-existing health condition as it increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes and chest infections.

"It is therefore vital to check in on friends, family and neighbours to ensure they are well prepared for the cold weather next week."

It comes after the UK had its coldest night of the winter so far on Tuesday into Wednesday, when Dalwhinnie in the Highlands experienced a temperature of minus 14C.

All schools are closed in Orkney and Shetland on Thursday amid the wintry conditions, with many of them having now been shut all week.

In addition, more than 200 schools and nurseries are closed on Thursday across the Highland region, around 130 are shut in Aberdeenshire and nine in Moray, while many others had delayed starts.

Marco Petagna, meteorologist at the Met Office, said: "At the moment we've got a northernly air flow and with the sea temperatures being about eight to 12 degrees there is that extra energy around the coasts and that northern wind to get the showers pushing down.

"Because the land temperatures are below freezing there's not the energy there for the showers to develop, so most of the showers are feeding down in that northernly flow into areas exposed to northerly winds.

"That's why Scotland, Northern Ireland and the east and west coasts of the UK are seeing most of the showers."

Other parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland have a yellow snow and ice warning spanning the whole of Thursday, while the north and north west of the UK are likely to see further wintry outbreaks over the next 24 hours.

Met Office chief meteorologist Jason Kelly said: "With deep snow already lying on the ground for many in the northern half of the UK, we're going to see a significant topping up of totals over the next couple of days, especially for those in the north of Scotland.

"Within the amber warning area, an additional 15-20cm of snow is possible in a few locations.

"Strengthening northwesterly winds will also cause some lying snow to drift, potentially bringing some additional hazards, such as temporary blizzard conditions."

National Rail warned the wintry weather could affect train journeys on Thursday.

In Northern Ireland, people have been urged not to travel unless it is "absolutely essential" because of limited gritting of the roads in zero-degree temperatures as public sector workers walk out in the biggest strike in the region's recent history.

Another frosty night is forecast into Friday, and while it will be breezier with more cloud in places, lows of minus 10C will again be likely in some areas.