Incredible new pictures have captured wintry scenes across the country, with heavy snow burying some areas buried in up to 10cm – and more expected after the weekend
Snow covered the UK in a vast blanket today, with thousands of people waking up to stunning winter scenes on the second day of the year.
Temperatures dipped to bitter new lows overnight as people recuperated from their New Year’s celebrations, with the mercury dropping below zero across the country. At the same time, precipitation turned to snow and ice, especially in northern England and Scotland, creating a vast blanket up to 10cm deep in some places.
The bitter cold snap came as the Met Office warned people to expect widespread snow and ice, with warnings for the country stretching into the next week.
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According to snow estimates, Loch Glascarnoch in the Scottish Highlands experienced an excess of 8cm (3.14 inches) on Thursday, and Aboyne, in Aberdeenshire, 9cm (3.54 inches). Snow also fell in England over Warwickshire, where some of the most dramatic pictures show vast fields of white over northern England, and similar scenes in Llanrwst, Wales.
The Met Office expects snowfall to only become heavier, accumulating up to 10 to 20cm over low ground, and between 30 and 40cm over higher ground – with conditions possibly including some drifting and blizzards.
Rebekah Hicks, the Met Office chief meteorologist, said in a statement that the country is being gripped by “arctic air and brisk northerly winds”, which are causing the wintry scenes.
She said: “Arctic air and brisk northerly winds are gripping the UK as we start the new year. Snow and ice warnings remain in force for many areas, with the risk of heavy snow showers, especially across northern Scotland and over higher ground elsewhere, though many inland areas will stay largely sunny and clear.
“Bitterly cold conditions will persist through the weekend and into next week, with daytime temperatures struggling to rise above freezing for some, and overnight lows dipping to minus double figures in places. We urge people to stay #WeatherAware, keep up to date with the forecasts and plan ahead as icy roads and slippery surfaces are likely.”
