London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jan 05, 2026

Persistent Cold Snap Grips the UK: Severe Frost and Snow Disrupt Daily Life

Ongoing adverse weather conditions bring travel chaos, school closures, and heightened health alerts across the UK amid a prolonged cold spell.
The United Kingdom is currently grappling with one of the harshest cold spells it has faced this winter, as temperatures linger below freezing and severe frost covers large parts of the country.

According to the Met Office, four yellow weather warnings are in place, primarily for ice, with one extending to include snow.

As freezing temperatures prevail, there is widespread concern about travel disruptions and public safety.

The UK's Met Office has issued warnings about 'severe frost' and occasional freezing fog, with meteorologist Liam Eslick cautioning that temperatures could plunge as low as -20C (-4F) in parts of Scotland and northern England by Friday night.

This comes on the back of already record-breaking lows, such as the -13.3C recorded at Loch Glascarnoch earlier this week.

The wintry conditions have wreaked havoc on transportation, prompting Manchester Airport to close its runways temporarily due to heavy snowfall.

Although operations resumed on Thursday, the airport has advised passengers to anticipate potential delays.

The icy conditions have equally paralyzed road and rail networks, with vehicles breaking down in high numbers.

The RAC has reported an exceptionally busy week, urging motorists to equip their cars with emergency kits.

On the railways, speed restrictions and line closures have resulted in the cancellation and amendment of services, particularly affecting areas serviced by Merseyrail and Transport for Wales.

In more remote regions, such as the Yorkshire Dales, individuals like Tristam Rossin find themselves stranded by snow accumulation exceeding six inches.

The harsh weather has forced educational disruptions, with significant school closures in Scotland, Aberdeenshire, and various counties in England and Wales, impacting thousands of students.

Meanwhile, health authorities have extended an amber cold health alert across England until Tuesday, signaling the expected severe impacts on public health, including increased mortality rates.

The severe conditions follow recent heavy snowfall and continue to pose flooding risks, with multiple flood alerts active across England and Wales.

Looking ahead, meteorologists suggest a slight warming trend over the weekend, with temperatures slowly rising.

However, the thaw will progress unevenly, with cold conditions persisting in eastern regions through the weekend.

The forecast indicates that milder, more temperate conditions may not return until the start of the coming week.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
HSBC Leads 2026 Mortgage Rate Cuts as UK Lending Costs Ease
US Joint Chiefs Chairman Outlines How Operation Absolute Resolve Was Carried Out in Venezuela
Starmer Welcomes End of Maduro Era While Stressing International Law and UK Non-Involvement
Korean Beauty Turns Viral Skincare Into a Global Export Engine
UK Confirms Non-Involvement in U.S. Military Action Against Venezuela
UK Terror Watchdog Calls for Australian-Style Social Media Ban to Protect Teenagers
Iranian Protests Intensify as Another Revolutionary Guard Member Is Killed and Khamenei Blames the West
Delta Force Identified as Unit Behind U.S. Operation That Captured Venezuela’s President
Europe’s Luxury Sanctions Punish Russian Consumers While a Sanctions-Circumvention Industry Thrives
Berkshire’s Buffett-to-Abel Transition Tests Whether a One-Man Trust Model Can Survive as a System
Fraud in European Central Bank: Lagarde’s Hidden Pay Premium Exposes a Transparency Crisis at the European Central Bank
Trump Announces U.S. Large-Scale Strike on Venezuela, Declares President Maduro and Wife Captured
Tesla Loses EV Crown to China’s BYD After Annual Deliveries Decline in 2025
UK Manufacturing Growth Reaches 15-Month Peak as Output and Orders Improve in December
Beijing Threatened to Scrap UK–China Trade Talks After British Minister’s Taiwan Visit
Newly Released Files Reveal Tony Blair Pressured Officials Over Iraq Death Case Involving UK Soldiers
Top Stocks and Themes to Watch in 2026 as Markets Enter New Year with Fresh Momentum
No UK Curfew Ordered as Deepfake TikTok Falsely Attributes Decree to Prime Minister Starmer
Europe’s Largest Defence Groups Set to Return Nearly Five Billion Dollars to Shareholders in Twenty Twenty-Five
Abu Dhabi ‘Capital of Capital’: How Abu Dhabi Rose as a Sovereign Wealth Power
Diamonds Are Powering a New Quantum Revolution
Trump Threatens Strikes Against Iran if Nuclear Programme Is Restarted
Apple Escalates Legal Fight by Appealing £1.5 Billion UK Ruling Over App Store Fees
UK Debt Levels Sit Mid-Range Among Advanced Economies Despite Rising Pressures
UK Plans Royal Diplomacy with King Charles and Prince William to Reinvigorate Trade Talks with US
King Charles and Prince William Poised for Separate 2026 US Visits to Reinforce UK-US Trade and Diplomatic Ties
Apple Moves to Appeal UK Ruling Ordering £1.5 Billion in Customer Overcharge Damages
King Charles’s 2025 Christmas Message Tops UK Television Ratings on Christmas Day
The Battle Over the Internet Explodes: The United States Bars European Officials and Ignites a Diplomatic Crisis
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie Join Royal Family at Sandringham Christmas Service
Fine Wine Investors Find Little Cheer in Third Year of Falls
UK Mortgage Rates Edge Lower as Bank of England Base Rate Cut Filters Through Lending Market
U.S. Supermarket Gives Customers Free Groceries for Christmas After Computer Glitch
Air India ‘Finds’ a Plane That Vanished 13 Years Ago
Caviar and Foie Gras? China Is Becoming a Luxury Food Powerhouse
Hong Kong Climbs to Second Globally in 2025 Tourism Rankings Behind Bangkok
From Sunniest Year on Record to Terror Plots and Sports Triumphs: The UK’s Defining Stories of 2025
Greta Thunberg Released on Bail After Arrest at London Pro-Palestinian Demonstration
Banksy Unveils New Winter Mural in London Amid Festive Season Excitement
UK Households Face Rising Financial Strain as Tax Increases Bite and Growth Loses Momentum
UK Government Approves Universal Studios Theme Park in Bedford Poised to Rival Disneyland Paris
UK Gambling Shares Slide as Traders Respond to Steep Tax Rises and Sector Uncertainty
Starmer and Trump Coordinate on Ukraine Peace Efforts in Latest Diplomatic Call
The Pilot Barricaded Himself in the Cockpit and Refused to Take Off: "We Are Not Leaving Until I Receive My Salary"
UK Fashion Label LK Bennett Pursues Accelerated Sale Amid Financial Struggles
U.S. Government Warns UK Over Free Speech in Pro-Life Campaigner Prosecution
Newly Released Files Shed Light on Jeffrey Epstein’s Extensive Links to the United Kingdom
Prince William and Prince George Volunteer Together at UK Homelessness Charity
UK Police Arrest Protesters Chanting ‘Globalise the Intifada’ as Authorities Recalibrate Free Speech Enforcement
Scambodia: The World Owes Thailand’s Military a Profound Debt of Gratitude
×