For Wales, the Midlands, and northern England, snow could accumulate up to 5cm at lower levels, with the possibility of freezing rain causing icy conditions.
Over higher ground in parts of Wales and the Pennines, snow could accumulate 20 to 30cm (8 to 12 inches), and strengthening winds may lead to blizzards and drifting snow, potentially bringing snow depths of up to 40cm.
This weather system could cause travel disruption, power outages, and isolation of rural communities.
By Sunday and into Monday, heavy snow will shift to Scotland, with an additional Met Office yellow warning in place, suggesting 2-3cm of snow at low levels and up to 20cm over higher ground.
This setup, with cold air settled over the UK and a rain-bearing weather system moving through from the Atlantic, presents challenges for forecasters. Predicting the exact amount and locations of snow is difficult more than a day in advance, leading to uncertainties in the forecast.
Snow is expected across the Midlands, Wales, and northern England over the weekend.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) announced on Thursday that no new postcodes had been activated for cold weather payments. These £25 payments are issued to eligible households when the area’s average temperature is, or is forecast to be, 0°C or below for seven consecutive days.
Many Britons experienced heavy rain and extensive flooding during their New Year’s celebrations, including Greater Manchester, where a major incident was declared on New Year’s Day.
Flood warnings are still in place across the north-west, and evacuation centers have been set up in Wigan, Stockport, and Ormskirk, Lancashire, to assist those displaced from their homes.
In Cheshire, the banks of the Bridgewater Canal collapsed, flooding surrounding fields at Little Bollington and prompting road closures and evacuations.
