London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jan 19, 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
Meghan Markle May Return to the U.K. This Summer as Security Review Advances
Trump’s Greenland Tariff Threat Sparks EU Response and Risks Deep Transatlantic Rift
Prince Harry’s High Court Battle With Daily Mail Publisher Begins in London
Trump’s Tariff Escalation Presents Complex Challenges for the UK Economy
UK Prime Minister Starmer Rebukes Trump’s Greenland Tariff Strategy as Transatlantic Tensions Rise
Prince Harry’s Last Press Case in UK Court Signals Potential Turning Point in Media and Royal Relations
GDP Growth Remains the Most Telling Barometer of Britain’s Economic Health
Prince William and Kate Middleton Stay Away as Prince Harry Visits London Amid Lingering Rift
Britain Braces for Colder Weather and Snow Risk as Temperatures Set to Plunge
Mass Protests Erupt as UK Nears Decision on China’s ‘Mega Embassy’ in London
Prince Harry to Return to UK to Testify in High-Profile Media Trial Against Associated Newspapers
Keir Starmer Rejects Trump’s Greenland Tariff Threat as ‘Completely Wrong’
Trump to hit Europe with 10% tariffs until Greenland deal is agreed
Prince Harry Returns to UK High Court as Final Privacy Trial Against Daily Mail Publisher Begins
Britain Confronts a Billion-Pound Wind Energy Paradox Amid Grid Constraints
The graduate 'jobpocalypse': Entry-level jobs are not shrinking. They are disappearing.
Cybercrime, Inc.: When Crime Becomes an Economy. How the World Accidentally Built a Twenty-Trillion-Dollar Criminal Economy
The Return of the Hands: Why the AI Age Is Rewriting the Meaning of “Real Work”
UK PM Kier Scammer Ridicules Tories With "Kamasutra"
Strategic Restraint, Credible Force, and the Discipline of Power
United Kingdom and Norway Endorse NATO’s ‘Arctic Sentry’ Mission Including Greenland
Woman Claiming to Be Freddie Mercury’s Secret Daughter Dies at Forty-Eight After Rare Cancer Battle
UK Launches First-Ever ‘Town of Culture’ Competition to Celebrate Local Stories and Boost Communities
Planned Sale of Shell and Exxon’s UK Gas Assets to Viaro Energy Collapses Amid Regulatory and Market Hurdles
UK Intensifies Arctic Security Engagement as Trump’s Greenland Rhetoric Fuels Allied Concern
Meghan Markle Could Return to the UK for the First Time in Nearly Four Years If Security Is Secured
Meghan Markle Likely to Return to UK Only if Harry Secures Official Security Cover
UAE Restricts Funding for Emiratis to Study in UK Amid Fears Over Muslim Brotherhood Influence
EU Seeks ‘Farage Clause’ in Brexit Reset Talks to Safeguard Long-Term Agreement Stability
Starmer’s Push to Rally Support for Action Against Elon Musk’s X Faces Setback as Canada Shuns Ban
UK Free School Meals Expansion Faces Political and Budgetary Delays
EU Seeks ‘Farage Clause’ in Brexit Reset Talks With Britain
Germany Hit by Major Airport Strikes Disrupting European Travel
Prince Harry Seeks King Charles’ Support to Open Invictus Games on UK Return
Washington Holds Back as Britain and France Signal Willingness to Deploy Troops in Postwar Ukraine
Elon Musk Accuses UK Government of Suppressing Free Speech as X Faces Potential Ban Over AI-Generated Content
Russia Deploys Hypersonic Missile in Strike on Ukraine
OpenAI and SoftBank Commit One Billion Dollars to Energy and Data Centre Supplier
UK Prime Minister Starmer Reaffirms Support for Danish Sovereignty Over Greenland Amid U.S. Pressure
UK Support Bolsters U.S. Seizure of Russian-Flagged Tanker Marinera in Atlantic Strike on Sanctions Evasion
The Claim That Maduro’s Capture and Trial Violate International Law Is Either Legally Illiterate—or Deliberately Deceptive
UK Data Watchdog Probes Elon Musk’s X Over AI-Generated Grok Images Amid Surge in Non-Consensual Outputs
Prince Harry to Return to UK for Court Hearing Without Plans to Meet King Charles III
UK Confirms Support for US Seizure of Russian-Flagged Oil Tanker in North Atlantic
Béla Tarr, Visionary Hungarian Filmmaker, Dies at Seventy After Long Illness
UK and France Pledge Military Hubs Across Ukraine in Post-Ceasefire Security Plan
Prince Harry Poised to Regain UK Security Cover, Clearing Way for Family Visits
UK Junk Food Advertising Ban Faces Major Loophole Allowing Brand-Only Promotions
Maduro’s Arrest Without The Hague Tests International Law—and Trump’s Willingness to Break It
German Intelligence Secretly Intercepted Obama’s Air Force One Communications
×