Key Takeaways

• Storm Goretti is expected to bring heavy snow to the UK later in the week, with difficult travel conditions and potential disruptions to daily life.
• The Met Office has issued various weather warnings, including yellow and amber snow and ice warnings, across the UK, with the most severe impact expected in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
• The UK Health Security Agency has issued amber cold health alerts for all of England until Friday, warning of significant impacts on health and social care services, particularly for vulnerable individuals.
• Travel disruptions are expected, with hundreds of schools closed, flights cancelled, and train lines affected by the weather.
• The Met Office advises people to stay at home where possible, check in on vulnerable neighbors, and take necessary precautions to stay safe during the cold weather.

Introduction to the Weather Warnings
The Met Office has issued fresh weather warnings as Storm Goretti is set to bring heavy snow to the UK later in the week. The storm, named by French meteorological service Meteo-France, is the first storm of the year and is likely to bring difficult travel conditions to Britain, though France will see the most severe impact. The UK’s forecaster has issued a new yellow weather warning for snow across Wales, the South East and west of England, and the Midlands on Thursday from 6pm until midday on Friday.

Current Weather Conditions
The current weather conditions in the UK are characterized by cold temperatures, snow, and ice. The Met Office warned that it is not safe to drive and told people only to make essential journeys. Snow will move east across central and northern Scotland throughout Tuesday, with 2 to 5cm of snow expected across the country, and some areas could see a further 10 to 15cm over higher ground. As temperatures increase across the day, snow is expected to turn to sleet or rain, before snow showers return in the North by the evening. Lightning and gusty winds are also expected to cause hazards along the coastlines, but the risk of ice is set to increase on Tuesday morning after temperatures fall below freezing in the night.

Advice from Experts
Adam Stachura, the policy director at Age Scotland, urged people to stay at home where possible, according to The Telegraph. He said: "With such cold temperatures and icy conditions ahead, try and make sure you have enough food and any important medications at home to reduce the need for unnecessary and potentially risky trips." The forecaster warned that roads and railways will likely be affected by longer journey times and some people might be injured if they fall on icy surfaces. Dr. Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at UKHSA, said: "As the colder weather sets in, it is vital to check in on friends, family, and neighbors that are most vulnerable. The forecast temperatures can have a serious impact on the health of some people, leading to increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, and chest infections, particularly for individuals over the age of 65 and those with pre-existing health conditions."

Weather Warnings for the Rest of the Week
The Met Office has also issued a yellow ice weather warning for Northern Ireland from 6pm on Tuesday until 11am on Wednesday, as despite temperatures rising and skies clearing, a scattering of wintry showers from this evening will once again bring an ice risk overnight. Showers may give a fresh dusting of snow in a few places. A wider yellow warning for ice is in place across the rest of the United Kingdom from midnight til 10am tomorrow following a band of rain and clear skies, expected to lead to icy patches on untreated wet surfaces. This could lead to some minor disruption, especially on Wednesday morning, including some injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces.

Travel Disruptions
Travel disruptions are expected, with hundreds of schools closed, flights cancelled, and train lines affected by the weather. Dozens of flights due to depart from Aberdeen International Airport were cancelled on Monday, according to its website. Glasgow Airport also saw some disruption with five flights cancelled over the course of Monday. Train lines also saw issues due to the weather, with ScotRail warning of disruption on routes around Aberdeen and Inverness for much of Monday. Network Rail Scotland said that the Aberdeen-Dundee, Aberdeen-Inverness, Inverness-Wick/Thurso, and Inverness-Kyle of Lochalsh lines are unlikely to run until midday, due to heavy and drifting snow.

Five-Day Weather Forecast
The Met Office five-day weather forecast indicates that the cold weather will continue throughout the week, with a mixture of rain, sleet, and snow expected. Tuesday will see rain, sleet, and snow moving in from the North West, with heavy and persistent snow affecting parts of Scotland. Sunny spells and wintry showers are expected elsewhere, with another very cold day and strengthening winds. The rest of the week will see dry conditions for many with sunny spells, scattered wintry showers continuing in Scotland and some western areas, and rather windy conditions with coastal gales developing in places, and feeling very cold.