Temperatures plunge to -11°C overnight as snow halts flights at Glasgow Airport

Various weather warnings for snow and ice are in place across the UK with temperatures in some parts reaching minus 11°C overnight as snowy conditions cause rail and air travel disruption.

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for snow and ice covering much of the Midlands, Yorkshire and north and central Wales from 6pm on Saturday to 12pm on Sunday.

Issued just before 9.30am on Saturday, it follows other warnings for snow and ice that are already in effect through Saturday morning for parts of Scotland, Cumbria and the east coast of England, as well as a yellow warning for ice in south-west England.

The weather service advised that some roads and railways are “likely to be affected” by the conditions, with longer journey times by road, bus and train, while icy patches on untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths could result in “some injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces”.

Just after 7am on Saturday, Glasgow Airport suspended all flights temporarily due to “heavier than forecast snow” in the area.

A statement said: “Our winter teams have been working through the night and we hope to resume operations as soon as possible.

“Please check with your airline for further flight updates.”

There was also disruption to trains in the west of Scotland, with operator ScotRail posting: “The snow is affecting some signalling systems and staff are working as quickly as possible to rectify these just now.”

It comes as the mercury plummeted as low as minus 11°C in Scotland and minus 10°C in England overnight.

Temperatures are tipped to continue to fall over the weekend, with several sporting events cancelled amid snowfall and icy conditions.

Crewe’s match with Bristol Rovers in the second round of the FA Cup on Saturday has been called off and rearranged for 12 December, with the playing surface deemed unsafe.

A number of Scottish Professional Football League matches were also postponed ahead of the weekend, with Dundee United’s trip to Morton at Cappielow and Ayr’s match against Arbroath at Somerset Park both called off.

Saturday’s high-profile racing fixture at Newcastle, which was due to see the return of Constitution Hill, has likewise been abandoned due to snow on the track.

Earlier in the week, the cold winds sweeping across the country from Scandinavia resulted in school closures and further travel disruption.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office have issued amber cold health alerts in five regions – the East Midlands, West Midlands, North West, North East and Yorkshire and the Humber – until 5 December, meaning “cold weather impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service for an extended period of time”.

Met Office meteorologist Annie Shuttleworth said it will be minus 3°C or minus 4°C for many towns and cities on Saturday, with snow showers continuing across southwestern Scotland on Saturday morning.

She added that snow is mainly expected to fall over high ground above 100-200 metres, though sleet could impact lower levels, including the Lake District, into lunchtime.

Particularly in the south and west of Scotland there’s a risk of showers heading into Saturday afternoon but shifting winds could see temperatures rise slightly throughout the day despite still feeling “bitterly cold”.

The forecaster said the lowest temperature recorded on Friday was minus 9.4°C in Shap in Cumbria, while Aviemore, in Scotland, reached a low of minus 11°C overnight.

Aviemore was also the area with the most snow on Friday with 5cm, as Albemarle in Northumberland and Bingley in West Yorkshire saw 2cm, and Loftus in Cleveland had 1cm.

Met Office Chief Meteorologist, Andy Page, said: “A low pressure system will bring less cold, but more unsettled weather for southern parts of the UK on Sunday.

“It will be a cloudier day with some rain, but also a chance of snow at first over the Midlands. It will be brighter in the north, but still with a risk of showers in coastal areas. Still feeling cold away from the southwest with temperatures once again in low-single figures.

“There continues to be some uncertainty over the exact conditions for the start of next week.

“While milder air – with some rain and possibly snow – is likely for the southern half of the UK on Monday, the weather models do not agree on how far north this mild air might go.”