Britons are being urged to prepare for a fresh bout of wintry conditions this weekend, with forecasters warning of further snow, ice, and severe frosts. This comes despite Storm Goretti moving away from the UK's shores on Friday, 9 January 2026.
Widespread Yellow Warnings for Snow and Ice
The Met Office has issued a series of yellow weather alerts covering large swathes of the country. A cold band of air moving in overnight from Friday into Saturday is the catalyst for the new warnings.
Most of Scotland and parts of northeast England were under a yellow snow and ice warning from midday on Friday until 3pm on Saturday. This warning will be reinstated on Sunday from 2am to 3pm.
Separately, Northern Ireland faced a yellow warning from 5pm Friday until 11am on Saturday. Furthermore, extensive areas of England, including the South, West, North West, East Midlands, and Wales, were under a yellow ice warning from Friday midday through Saturday.
Aftermath of Storm Goretti and the Weekend Outlook
Storm Goretti's departure on Friday followed a period of significant disruption, which included:
- Tens of thousands of homes losing power due to heavy rain, snow, and strong winds.
- Fallen trees causing damage, including one home in Falmouth, Cornwall, that was severely impacted.
- Flight cancellations, with dramatic footage emerging of a passenger plane battling strong gusts while landing at Heathrow Airport.
Saturday is expected to bring sunnier and drier conditions, but temperatures will remain low, hovering between 2-3C for many. A severe frost is anticipated overnight, creating icy stretches on untreated surfaces.
Disruptive Snow Risk Returns on Sunday
The respite will be short-lived. Sky News Weather presenter Jo Wheeler explained: "Cloud gathers Saturday evening with rain moving in from the Atlantic. Meeting the cold air, there's the potential for some short-lived disruptive snow."
The Met Office predicts that a band of rain moving in from the west in the early hours of Sunday will create a widespread risk of snow as it hits the cold air. Scotland is most at risk, with higher ground potentially seeing 10-20cm of snow.
Temperatures are forecast to rise to around 10C in western areas and Northern Ireland on Sunday as milder air returns, which could lead to a risk of localised flooding early next week. Forecasters suggest conditions will become less dramatic as the new week begins.
