Arctic temperatures could last all week after London issued snow warning

The ‘Arctic freeze’ sweeping across the UK is set to stay for a week with some parts of the country warned to brace for snow – including London.

Yellow and amber weather warnings for snow and ice have been issued by the Met Office with the capital also set to see wintery showers.

Today will be one of the coldest days, with warnings stretching from London to Manchester, and covering Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The Met Office is predicting 2cm to 5cm of snow, with 10cm in certain local areas and 10cm to 20cm in some areas above 200m.

The capital will see lows of about 1°C today, but parts of Scotland are set to see temperatures as low as -12°C, while Wales and northern England could also go as low as -7°C inland.

And there will be the possibility of blizzards, with strong winds combined with snow.

Weather forecaster Jim Dale told Metro the cold weather could remain until around January 10.

All this is expected to lead to significant travel disruption, as well as the happier scenes of snowmen and tobogganing.

The Met Office said : ‘We’ll see a transition to more unsettled and wintry conditions into the New Year, with a snow and ice warning issued and more likely to come.

‘High pressure remains in charge over the next few days, meaning we see a continuation of the current chilly, but settled conditions.

‘Things look largely settled for many on New Year’s Eve, but turning windy with showers in Scotland. Conditions then turn colder at the turn of the year.

‘Throughout Thursday, showers will increasingly turn to snow in northern Scotland, and a strong, perhaps gale force northerly wind will also set in.

‘A yellow national severe weather warning for snow and ice has been issued, with some significant accumulations possible by Friday morning.’

Why is it getting so cold in the New Year?

Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster Mark Sidaway said: ‘It certainly looks like we are in for a taste of “winter” as we welcome in the New Year, initially in the north, but more widely across the UK for the first week of 2026.

‘Arctic air and strong northerly winds will bring cold or very cold conditions to all parts of the UK, and it will feel especially cold in the strong winds.

‘Widespread and locally severe frosts are expected, along with the first snow of the winter for many.

‘These colder conditions and wintry hazards – snow, ice and strong winds – will develop more widely as we enter the New Year, with more warnings for snow and ice likely.

‘It looks like this cold spell will last through at least the first week of January, so it’s important people keep up to date with the latest forecast and warnings.’

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued an amber cold health alert covering the North East and North West of England until January 5. All other regions in England will be under a yellow alert for the same period.

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