A ‘DANGER TO LIFE’ health warning was extended across the country as snow closed schools in -14C.
A yellow and yellow warning for snow and ice was issued by the Met Office across Scotland and coastal areas in England and Wales on Thursday.
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The North and North West of the UK are likely to see further winter outbreaks over the next 24 hoursCredit: LNP
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A family enjoying a sleigh ride in East Yorkshire todayCredit: LNP
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A yellow and yellow warning for snow and ice has been issued by the Meteorological Office
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Early morning swimmers take to the Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park, central LondonCredit: LNP
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Cars and houses covered in snow in Bensham, Gateshead Credit: NCJ Media
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Motorists face heavy snowfall with warnings of new problems Credit: LNP
An amber warning for snow is currently in place for northern Scotland, the Orkney and Shetland Islands until 6pm on Thursday, with the possibility of another 20cm of snow.
The cold weather warning prompted a health warning extended to the entire country.
In parts of Shetland, about 23 to 24 cm of snow already fell on Wednesday, while the snowfall reached even the extreme southeast of England.
Other parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland have a yellow warning for snow and ice which extends throughout Thursday.
Meanwhile, the north and north west of the UK are likely to see further winter outbreaks over the next 24 hours.
Separate, shorter snow and ice warnings have also been issued for Wales and south-west England from 10pm on Wednesday to 11am on Thursday, and in eastern England from 1am to midday on Thursday, as both areas could see wintry conditions. showers that can lead to an ice patch.
The latest yellow ice warning for south-east England, particularly south-east London, will be in place until 10am on Thursday.
UKHSA’s head of extreme events and healthcare, Agostinho Sousa, warned Britons that they could be facing a dangerous health risk.
He said: “The temperatures we will see in the coming week could quickly have a serious impact on the health of those aged over 65 and those with pre-existing health conditions, increasing the risk of heart attacks, strokes and chest infections.
“That’s why it’s crucial to check on friends, family and neighbors to make sure they’re well prepared for the cold weather next week.”
Marco Petagna, a meteorologist at the Met Office, said: “We’ve got a northerly flow at the moment and with the sea temperature around eight to 12 degrees, there’s extra energy around the coasts and that northerly wind that’s causing the showers to push down.
“Because land temperatures are below freezing, there’s no energy there to develop showers, so most of the showers are fed in that northerly flow into areas exposed to northerly winds.
“That’s why Scotland, Northern Ireland and the east and west coasts of the UK experience most of the showers.”
Conditions will be clearer with more sunshine inland on Thursday and a very cold night under clear skies, Mr Petagna said.
While another frosty night is forecast on Friday, it will be windier with more cloud in places, but lows of -10C are again likely in some areas.
Winds coming off the Atlantic to the west will then take over during Friday and Saturday, bringing much milder, wet and windy weather into the weekend.
A yellow wind warning has also been issued for Sunday across the UK – except for Shetland and south-east England.
The warning is in place for 24 hours from 6am on Sunday, with the Met Office warning that winds of up to 70mph could hit exposed coasts, with gusts of up to 60mph inland.
All schools in Shetland and Orkney were closed on Thursday due to the wintry conditions.
In Aberdeenshire, around 130 schools have closed, while others have delayed opening.
In Moray, nine schools and nurseries were closed due to the bad weather, while others were delayed or started late.
Meanwhile, firefighters in Staffordshire are urging people to watch out for freezing water after a dog drowned in Hanley Park, Stoke-on-Trent.
They said it is believed the puppy was chasing some geese after it escaped from its harness and fell into the water after the ice broke under its weight.
Firefighters in dry suits entered the water to pull the dog out and give him oxygen therapy, but he later died.
It came after the UK had its coldest night of winter on record from Tuesday to Wednesday, when Dalwhinnie in the Scottish Highlands experienced temperatures of -14C.
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A snowy scene in Ardgay, Scotland as the Met Office issued a rare amber snow warningCredit: GETTY
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Snow blankets houses in Bridlington Credit: LNP
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Fountains in Trafalgar Square froze during sub-zero temperatures in central LondonCredit: George Cracknell Wright
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Large parts of the UK experience more snow and sub-zero temperatures as the cold spell continuesCredit: LNP
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Yellow warnings for snow and ice are also in place on FridayCredit: MET Office
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A woman battles a blizzard in Bridlington, East YorkshireCredit: LNP
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