The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for snow and ice covering northern Scotland from 06:00 on Thursday 1 January to 23:59 on Friday 2 January 2026. UK Health Security Agency cold‑health alerts are also active: amber in North East and North West England from 20:00 on Sunday 28 December 2025 to 12:00 on Monday 5 January, with yellow alerts in other English regions to the same end time. Forecasters expect a markedly colder start to 2026.
For Scotland, the warning area includes Central, Tayside & Fife, Grampian, Highlands & Eilean Siar, Orkney & Shetland, and Strathclyde (Argyll and Bute). The Met Office expects frequent, heavy snow showers with 2–5 cm at low levels by Friday morning, locally up to 10 cm; above 200 metres 10–20 cm, and 30 cm or more on the highest routes. Strong northerly winds may cause drifting and there is a lightning risk. The warning is classified low‑likelihood, medium‑impact.
Under the National Severe Weather Warning Service, colours reflect both impact and likelihood. Yellow and amber span a wide range, so responders should read each warning’s “Further details” and consult the impact–likelihood matrix to understand the expected severity and confidence.
Cold‑Health Alerts form part of UKHSA’s Weather‑Health Alerting system, which operates each year from 1 November to 31 March. An amber cold‑health alert signals that cold‑related impacts are likely across health and social care, with potential risk extending beyond the most vulnerable and a coordinated response possibly required.
These UKHSA alerts apply in England. Devolved nations rely on Met Office weather warnings alongside local health guidance. UKHSA’s overview confirms the alerting remit is for England only.
In North East and North West England, amber alerts run from 20:00 on 28 December to 12:00 on 5 January. UKHSA’s dashboards highlight likely rises in mortality among older people and those with long‑term conditions, increased demand for services, indoor temperatures in hospitals and care homes potentially falling below recommended thresholds, and difficulty keeping homes at the advised 18°C.
Elsewhere, London and the West Midlands are among regions on yellow alerts through to midday on 5 January. Yellow indicates conditions that may not affect most people but can still harm those at higher risk; alerts can be upgraded if forecast confidence increases.
For operations teams, the warning‑alert combination points to familiar winter risks: delays or cancellations on roads, rail and air; a higher incidence of slips and falls; possible power interruptions; and the chance of some rural communities being temporarily cut off in northern Scotland. Staffing plans should account for travel disruption and sustained demand in urgent care.
UKHSA action cards advise health and social care providers and commissioners to verify that occupied rooms can be maintained at or above 18°C, step up proactive outreach to high‑risk patients, and coordinate with local authorities and the voluntary sector to support people who struggle to heat their homes.
Looking ahead, the Met Office expects Arctic air and strong northerly winds to keep conditions cold into the first week of January, with further updates possible. Organisations should monitor warning pages closely and use the impact–likelihood matrix to inform gritting, staffing and service continuity decisions.