Cold snap continues across UK ahead of Storm Bert

More freezing temperatures are expected across the UK before Storm Bert hits this weekend, bringing high winds and potential flooding.

In Scotland, temperatures could drop to -10C early on Friday with weather warnings for snow and ice still in place for much of the UK.

Bert’s arrival on Saturday is set to bring much milder temperatures but disruption is expected with gusts of 40-60mph (65-96km/h) forecast in Scotland, Northern Ireland, north Wales and northern England.

An amber warning for snow and ice has been issued for central Scotland and numerous yellow warnings for rain and wind are in place for Saturday and Sunday.

On Friday morning, temperatures across the UK will hover between -2 and 2C and throughout the day are not expected to reach any higher than 6C.

By Saturday, Wales, central and southern England, could see temperatures up to 12-15C.

But heavy rain is also expected at times over the weekend which the Environment Agency says could lead to some localised flooding

Across south-west England and Wales, a Met Office yellow warning for rain says that throughout Saturday 50-75mm (2-3in) of rain could fall widely.

In some parts, such as south Wales and Dartmoor, there could be as much as 125mm (5in) which would be the whole of November’s average rainfall in just a day.

Strong winds have the potential to cause damage and disruption to the transport network and buildings, and power cuts are also possible.

Those winds will continue at times well into Sunday and Monday as Storm Bert makes slow progress eastward across the UK.

Network Rail is already advising passengers to check journeys before they travel this weekend.

An amber alert for heavy snow and ice will also be in force between 07:00 GMT and 17:00 GMT on Saturday in an area north of Scotland’s central belt, where as much as 20-40cm of snow is likely on higher ground.

Police are urging people not to travel on Scotland’s roads on Saturday as the country braces itself for more heavy snowfall.

Met Office meteorologist Honor Criswick said there are likely to be “heavy” outbreaks of rain throughout Saturday, “falling as snow” at times across northern parts of England and parts of Scotland.

The cold weather has already been causing disruption.

More than 100 schools across the Scottish Highlands and 30 in north Wales were closed on Thursday, while almost 200 schools in Devon and Cornwall shut or were partially closed due to the snow.

Earlier in the week, Scotland recorded its coldest early winter temperature since 1998 when Braemar in Aberdeenshire reached a low of -11.2C.