How long will this latest cold snap last for?

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Amer Ghazzal/Shutterstock (16735807q) People relaxing with their dog on Wimbledon Common, south west London on a chilly and misty morning as temperatures remain below average at 10celsius Seasonal Weather, Wimbledon Common, London, UK - 08 Mar 2026
People are seen relaxing with their dog on Wimbledon Common, south west London on a chilly and misty morning as temperatures remain below average at 10 celsius (Picture: Amer Ghazzal/Shutterstock)

You probably heard it last night.

The strong, whistling wind beating against your windows and doors, while the rain chucked down in the background.

If you’re up in Scotland, you’re probably going to be hit with showers of snow later on today – sorry about that.

The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for snow and ice for Friday morning, covering an area north of Stirling and around Fort William.

Up to 5cm of snow is expected across the region, with 10cm possible on higher ground, and there may be travel disruption in the area as well as icy surfaces.

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But all hope is not lost as it looks like we could be reaching the end of this cold snap sooner than we originally though.

Alamy Live News. 3E0NHMK UK 13th March 2026 UK Weather Cumbria over night. snow toped fells above Lake Windermere South Cumbria Credit Gordon Shoosmith/Alamy News Live This is an Alamy Live News image and may not be part of your current Alamy deal . If you are unsure, please contact our sales team to check.
Overnight, snow fell in Cumbria – leaving the fells covered in the white stuff just above Lake Windermere, in south Cumbria, this morning (Picture: Alamy Live News)
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Amer Ghazzal/Shutterstock (16735857f) Residential houses in Wimbledon Common, south west London on a chilly and misty morning as temperatures remain below average at 10celsius Seasonal Weather, Wimbledon, London, UK - 08 Mar 2026
A misty morning was seen across south west London earlier today after the rainy and cold night last night (Picture: Amer Ghazzal/Shutterstock)

Grahame Madge, Met Office spokesman, told Metro: ‘The current cold spell has reached its peak and we are not expecting people to experience any worse conditions than they currently have already.

‘Those at higher elevations in northern England and Scotland may continue to see wintry showers or icy conditions for a while, but only for the next 24 hours or so.’

Forecasters said that in Scotland and England, gusts of 50-55mph are expected widely, while some coastal areas and places downwind of high ground could see gusts of 60mph or even 70mph.

They warned of potential delays to road, rail, ferry and air transport and said there may be some short-term loss of power and other services.

ScotRail warned passengers that journeys may take a little longer as Network Rail Scotland has put speed restrictions in place on some routes due to the conditions.

ABERDEEN, SCOTLAND - JANUARY 03: Members of the public clear snow as weather warnings continue on January 03, 2026 after an 'amber' snow warning was issued in Aberdeen, Scotland. Severe conditions were forecast in Scotland as winter weather swept across the UK. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
Members of the public clear snow in Scotland after a weather warnings were issued by the Met for snow and ice (Picture: Getty)
The road to Cairgorm Ski slopes were open after the heavy snows were cleared as heavy snow continues to cause disruption to many part of the Highlands. Hundreds of schools in northern Scotland will remain closed for a third day as much of the country braces itself for further snow and icy conditions. Temperatures are expected to drop as low as minus 6C in parts of rural Scotland. Picture date: Wednesday January 7, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Paul Campbell/PA Wire
Motorists have been urged to drive carefully in Scotland, but also be aware of any potentia travel issues due to the snow (Picture: Paul Campbell/PA Wire)

Speed restrictions are in place on the West Highland Line, the Highland Main Line and the Far North and Kyle Lines.

Some Caledonian MacBrayne ferry services on Scotland’s west coast have been disrupted due to the windy conditions.

The Met Office added that the strong winds are associated with an ‘active weather front moving south-eastwards across the UK’.

It said winds will ease from the north through the day.

In Northern Ireland, a yellow warning of wind is in place until midday on Thursday.

Forecasters said there could be gusts of between 40 and 50mph across much of Northern Ireland during the morning.

There could be a short period of time when gusts of 50-60mph hit many areas, along with heavy rain, however winds will start to ease from the west later in the morning.

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