Snow and ice warnings issued for parts of Scotland and the North East next week
Yellow weather warnings for snow and ice have been issued for parts of Scotland and the North East for Monday and Tuesday.
The Met Office is warning of potential delays to travel on some roads, along with delays and cancellations to rail services and flights.
The weather warnings cover northern and eastern parts of Scotland and northeast England, extending as far as Hull.
It comes after the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued a cold weather alert for the start of next week.
Check the 5-day forecast for where you live
The government agency, alongside the Met Office, is warning that all regions of England will experience cold weather from 1am on Monday to midnight on Wednesday.
Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at UKHSA, said: “During periods like this, it is important to check in on family, friends and relatives who may be more vulnerable to the cold weather, as it can have a serious impact on health.
“If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over the age of 65, it is important to try and heat your home to at least 18C if you can.”
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Chris Almond, deputy chief meteorologist at the Met Office, said: “Although we’ve moved into meteorological spring there will be a distinctly wintry feel to our weather next week.
“Very cold air will spread across the UK bringing snow showers even to sea level in the North on Monday and these snow showers could spread further south on Tuesday.
“With freezing overnight temperatures and the risk of ice, it is likely weather warnings will be issued for Monday and Tuesday once the detail of potential impacts becomes clearer, so keep an eye on the Met Office forecast.”
According to the Met Office, the wintry weather is due to a “highly amplified” jet stream, mixed with an area of lower pressure over the Mid-North Atlantic, which will push air up into Greenland and then back down towards the UK.
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It comes after England had its driest February in 30 years, according to the Met Office.
The UK saw less than half of its average rainfall for the month, at 45%, with just 43.4mm.