Hundreds of schools will remain closed for a second day as snow and ice continue to cause disruption across the country amid multiple weather warnings.
Temperatures will struggle to get above freezing with many people due to return to school or work after the festive period, as the Met Office warns that cold conditions will bring a range of hazards over the next few days.
Two amber snow warnings and five yellow snow and ice warnings remain in place across Scotland, the northwest, east and southwest of England, Northern Ireland, and Wales.
Much of Scotland has faced the worst of the weather, with hundreds of schools in the north of the country remaining closed on Tuesday. Schools in Shetland, Orkney and Aberdeenshire will remain shut on Tuesday after pupils enjoyed an extra day of holiday on Monday following the festive break due to the weather.
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A number of flights have been cancelled, while some train lines are also affected.
The amber snow warnings are in place from 11am to 7pm on Tuesday for the Highlands and central Scotland as a spell of heavy snow is expected to move east across central and north of the country, clearing to wintry showers during Tuesday night. A further 5 to 10cm is expected widely, with 15cm in places, particularly in higher plains above 200m.
The alerts warn of an increased likelihood of impacts from severe weather, including the possibility of travel delays, road and rail closures, power cuts and the potential risk to life and property.
Separate yellow warnings for snow and ice cover much of the UK, including Northern Ireland, Wales, much of Scotland north of Glasgow, southwest England, northwest England, the Midlands, east England and the northeast of England, stretching up to the Scottish Borders.
The Met Office said yellow alerts mean that it is likely the weather will cause at least low-level impacts, including some disruption to travel.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has also issued an amber cold health alert, as an early warning that adverse temperatures are likely to affect health and wellbeing, which is in place in England until Friday.
Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at UKHSA, urged people to check in on vulnerable friends, family and neighbours. He warned: “The forecast temperatures can have a serious impact on the health of some people, leading to increased risk of heart attacks, strokes and chest infections, particularly for individuals over the age of 65 and those with pre-existing health conditions.”
Police travel advice was issued after the additional amber weather warning for snow across north and northeast Scotland.
Assistant Chief Constable Alan Waddell said: “The forecasted heavy snow showers and ice means driving conditions are likely to be hazardous in some areas. Our advice is to plan ahead and consider if your journey is really necessary during the weather warnings. If you need to travel, please drive to the conditions, be prepared for delays and allow extra time for your journey.”
Scotland’s first minister, John Swinney, said snow across northern Scotland has had a “significant” impact, and that a “huge effort” was going into keeping transport moving and public services open.
“At present, there is still some travel disruption but trunk roads are open and rail, ferry and air services are working to get back to normal as quickly as possible,” he said.
“Likewise, many schools are closed today but remote learning is in place for young people while contingency plans are in place for affected health and social care services.
“There will be further snow and ice, with yellow warnings in large parts of Scotland and temperatures set to remain cold, so impacts will continue to be felt in the coming days which could include transport problems and I would encourage everyone to plan ahead, look out for each other and pay close attention to the range of weather and travel advice available.”
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