UK braced power cuts amid heavy snow and freezing rain
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Up to 30cm of snowfall is expected in some areas as the Met Office warned of rare freezing rain across England and Wales. The UK is braced for power cuts and mass travel disruption over the weekend as the Met Office warned of heavy snow and freezing rain.
![[Walkers in the Pentland Hills, Balerno, Edinburgh, as heavy snow and freezing rain is forecast across the UK over the weekend]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/04/12/SEI234850575.jpg)
Stranded vehicles on the roads, delayed or cancelled rail and air travel and power cuts are all likely as the country grapples with a week-long spell of wintry conditions, the forecaster said. There is also a “good chance” that rural communities could be cut off with up to 30cm of snowfall expected in some areas.
![[People out walking at the Wicklow Gap mountain pass in Co Wicklow, Ireland (Niall Carson/PA)]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/04/16/be6d059f51260162796bbba9f014ca8bY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzM2MDkyMzE4-2.78611125.jpg)
Follow updates here. An amber warning for snow and freezing rain covering most of Wales and central England is in place from 6pm on Saturday to midday on Sunday. The second warning for snow, covering most of northern England including Leeds, Sheffield and the Lake District, has been issued from 9pm on Saturday to midnight on Sunday.
![[A dog runs through snow in Scotland as the UK braces for more wintry conditions over the weekend]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/04/16/SEI234842475.jpg)
Both of the warning areas can expect to see 3cm to 7cm of snowfall widely, while snow may mix with rain at times in lower-lying areas, the forecaster said. Additional yellow weather warnings for snow and ice will be in force for most areas of the UK, covering different periods of time over the weekend.
A yellow warning for snow and ice from midday on Saturday to midnight on Sunday has been issued for much of England and Wales not covered by the amber warnings. The Met Office has also issued a yellow warning for snow and ice covering much of Northern Ireland from 9pm on Saturday to 6pm on Sunday.
