The United Kingdom has been plunged into a bitterly cold and disruptive start to 2026, with forecasters issuing urgent amber weather warnings for heavy snow across parts of Scotland. The Met Office has escalated its alerts from yellow to amber, indicating a heightened risk of severe conditions that are likely to cause significant travel chaos and potential isolation for some communities.
Severe Warnings and Forecasted Snowfall
The amber warnings for heavy snow showers are active from midday on Friday, 2 January 2026, until midday on Saturday, 3 January. They cover a substantial portion of eastern and northern Scotland, including Angus, Perth and Kinross, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray, and the Highlands.
According to the Met Office, 10-20cm of snow is expected at low levels, with a staggering 30-40cm possible on higher ground. Strong winds accompanying the snowfall could lead to temporary blizzard conditions, severely reducing visibility and creating dangerous drifts.
Widespread Disruption and Travel Chaos
The severe weather is already causing major problems across the transport network. In Scotland, several key mountain roads have been closed by snow gates, including the A93 Braemar-Glenshee, A939 Tomintoul-Cockbridge, B974 Cairn O'Mount-Fettercairn and the Bealach na Ba route.
The Met Office warns that delays and cancellations to rail and air travel are likely, alongside probable power cuts and significant road disruption. Some rural communities may become cut off entirely. Police Scotland's head of road policing, Chief Superintendent Scott McCarren, urged the public to "plan ahead and consider if your journey is really necessary" and to drive with extreme caution if travel is unavoidable.
Yellow Alerts Extend Across the UK
While Scotland faces the most severe conditions, the cold snap is affecting much of the country. Separate yellow warnings for snow and ice were in place on Friday morning for an area covering London, Greater Manchester, and Cardiff. A yellow ice warning was also active for southwest England until 10am.
Further snow, potentially up to 5cm, is forecast for parts of North Wales and northwest England. Northern Ireland was also under a yellow snow and ice warning between midnight and 10am on Friday. The wintry conditions are set to persist, with further yellow warnings extending south across Scotland through the weekend.
Public Health Alert Issued
Alongside the travel disruption, the cold has triggered significant health concerns. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued amber cold health alerts for multiple regions of England, including the East Midlands, West Midlands, South East, South West, East of England, Yorkshire and the Humber, and London. These alerts remain in force until 10am on 6 January.
The UKHSA stated this level of alert means the weather is likely to have "significant impacts" on health and social care services, and could lead to a "rise in deaths" among vulnerable individuals, including those aged 65 and over or with existing health conditions. The public is advised to take necessary precautions to stay warm and check on elderly or vulnerable neighbours.
