Met Office maps show Siberian snow and ice blast to hit parts

Arctic air masses from Siberia are bringing snowfall to Britain this week, leading to several weather warnings being issued for the UK.

The Met Office has warned those affected to be alert for ice patches and slippery conditions on roads and pavements, as well as longer travel times due to hail and sleet.

Several yellow warnings for snowfall and ice have been issued from Tuesday to Thursday for parts of Scotland and northern England, where temperatures are expected to drop below zero during the first cold snap of winter.

A yellow warning for snowfall and ice will be issued for much of northern and central Scotland between 3 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Tuesday. A separate combined snowfall and ice warning has been issued for the northern coast and offshore islands from 6 p.m. Tuesday to 9 p.m. Thursday.

Another yellow warning has been issued for much of southern Scotland and the northernmost counties of England from 5 a.m. to 12 p.m. Tuesday. Another snow and ice warning has been issued for the North East coast between 6am Wednesday and 6pm Thursday, starting in Hull and ending south of Dunbar in East Lothian.

As Britain recovers from the effects of Storm Claudia, last week's heavy rain has been replaced by bitterly cold weather, and the Met Office expects "significant changes" to the weather.

The UK Health Protection Agency (UKHSA) has issued a mild yellow cold health alert for the North East and West, Yorkshire and the Humber, and a mild yellow cold health alert for the rest of England.

Dr. Agostinho Sousa, UKHSA's Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection, urged people to pay attention to the "first prolonged cold of the season" and said it was "essential" to check on vulnerable friends, family, or neighbors.

He added, "The predicted temperatures could have serious health effects for some people, increasing the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and chest infections, especially for people over 65 and those with pre-existing health conditions."

Here, Met Office maps show where the cold is expected to hit hardest in Britain this week.

Where will it snow in Britain?

According to the Met Office's map showing the different types of precipitation expected in Britain, snowfall is expected to peak on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.

Blue on the map indicates rain, while red indicates hail, and gray and white indicate areas where snowfall is expected. Darker colors indicate heavier rain.

The first two pairs of maps depicting Tuesday show snow clouds forming over western and central Scotland during the day, with some snowfall also visible around the Lake District and Northumberland areas in the early morning.-