A sharp drop in temperatures and wintry conditions have prompted Ireland’s Met Office equivalent to issue multiple yellow and amber weather warnings across the United Kingdom, alerting residents to widespread snow, ice and travel disruption.

The cold front has brought heavy snowfall to parts of northern Scotland, where hill-tops have seen up to 25 cm of white cover by Thursday morning, while overnight lows in rural areas have fallen to −12 °C (10.4 °F).

The North York Moors and Yorkshire Wolds are under an amber alert for snow and blizzard conditions, while large areas of Wales, northeast England and southwest Scotland face yellow ice warnings.

Schools have closed in large numbers: in north-east Scotland more than 100 schools were shuttered, while in Wales 40 schools were closed in Pembrokeshire and several in Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion.

Major roads including parts of the A90 and the A169 have also been closed due to drifting snow and icy conditions.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued amber cold-health alerts for areas of northern England and Yorkshire, warning that vulnerable older people and those with pre-existing conditions face increased health risks from the deep freeze.

Authorities are advising neighbours to check on elderly or isolated friends and ensure heating and supplies are in place.

Forecasters expect the worst of the weather to run into Friday morning, with some areas forecast to experience gusty winds, freezing spray and possible thunder-snow in elevated terrain.

Travel disruption, power-outage risk and icy pavements are all flagged as major concerns through the weekend.

The Met Office urges those travelling only if necessary and to leave extra time when doing so.

With the UK now locked into a full winter regime, residents are being cautioned to take cold-weather precautions early: ensure adequate heating at home, keep walkways free of ice and check updates from local authorities ahead of any journeys.