Weather warnings issued as temperatures plummet with up to 20cm of snow expected in some parts of Scotland

People living in areas already blanketed with snow should brace themselves for more and avoid travel where possible, forecasters have said.

Between 10cm and 20cm of snow is possible for some locations and an amber warning has been issued for large swaths of the UK on Sunday.

While northern Scotland is the worst affected area, heavy snow is also likely over parts of Wales, the Midlands and northern and eastern England on Sunday.



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Other areas of northern England, East Anglia and parts of the south Midlands are subject to a yellow warning and could get as much as 5cm of snow. Elsewhere, a yellow wind warning has been issued for much of south Wales and the whole of southern England, with gusts of 50mph to 60mph expected.

The Met Office is advising people to keep an eye on the forecast and in the areas with an amber warning, travel should be avoided owing to the dangerous conditions on the roads.

Meteorologist Luke Miall said: “In some respects it is good that heavy snow is falling on a Sunday in terms of impact for commuters as it won’t be too much of an issue, but for those who have unavoidable travel plans, it could cause disruption to road, rail and air.”



The travel disruption is likely to continue into Monday despite the weather system responsible for the snow clearing away over the course of Sunday night.



Miall said: “There will be a legacy of a lot of snow on the ground in large parts of the country, and the risk of ice, black ice and compacted snow, which could cause slippery conditions and disruption for commuters on Monday morning.”



Facebook Twitter Pinterest Sledding on the grounds of the Stormont estate in Belfast. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA

A yellow warning for snow and ice remained in place for large parts of the UK throughout Saturday. After school closures and power cuts in Scotland on Friday, the heaviest and most frequent snow showers are predicted to be in the north-east of the country during Saturday.

Freezing temperatures as low as -10C (14F) are likely overnight and are predicted to remain into next week. The early part of the week is likely to be dry and sunny but strong winds and showers are expected for the remainder.

The snow-covered landscapes and opportunities for sledging and snowman building are unlikely to last for long, Miall said. “There will be a slow thaw of the snow. As is always the case in the UK it doesn’t really last for very many days. People should enjoy it while it lasts but shouldn’t risk their lives going places they don’t need to.”

About 18,000 homes across Scotland were affected by power cuts on Friday, according to Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks, but power was restored to the majority of affected homes by the evening.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest A snowplough on the A835 near Dingwall in Scotland. Photograph: Peter Jolly/Rex/Shutterstock

Dale Cargill, its director of customer operations, said: “Our network generally stood up well to Storm Caroline and I would like to thank all our customers who experienced a power cut for their patience as we battled against the elements to restore their power.

“We have now returned to business as usual but we will continue to monitor conditions and are well prepared to respond to whatever other challenges the Scottish weather has in store for us this winter.”

Highways England said driving would be the “most hazardous in the heavy and disruptive snowfall,” which will fall during the early morning in the Midlands and by dawn in southern parts of the north of England.

The agency advised road users intending to travel through those areas to check the forecast and road conditions before travelling. Those who can’t avoid travel were advised to pack blankets and warm clothes. .