The second named storm of the season is forecast to bring snow, rain and strong winds to parts of the UK this weekend.
Storm Bert, expected to hit the UK on Saturday, has prompted a number of weather warnings from the Met Office, with northern England and Scotland likely to be among the worst affected.
The organisation’s deputy chief meteorologist Dan Holley said: “Storm Bert marks a shift to much milder air and wintry hazards will gradually diminish through the weekend, but heavy snowfall is expected across parts of northern England and Scotland for a time on Saturday, especially over higher ground, and warnings are in place.
“Heavy rain through Saturday and Sunday, especially in southern and western parts of the UK, will also bring impacts for some, with a number of warnings in place.
“We expect 50-75mm of rainfall quite widely within the warning areas, but in excess of 100mm is possible over high ground in parts of Wales and south-west England.
“In addition, rapid melting of lying snow over the weekend and periods of strong winds are likely to exacerbate impacts and bring the potential for travel disruption, as well as flooding for some.”
An amber alert for heavy snow and ice has been issued covering between 7am and 5pm on Saturday in an area north of Scotland’s central belt, where 10-20cm is likely on ground above 200 metres.
There could be as much as 20-40cm on hills above 400 metres.
The warning is for parts of Angus, Perth and Kinross, Stirlingshire, Aberdeenshire and some of the Highlands and Argyll and Bute.
Forecasters said power cuts and travel disruption were likely and there was a good chance some rural communities could become cut off.
A yellow warning for snow and ice in much of Scotland, northern England and parts of western and eastern England and Wales is in force between midday on Thursday and 10am on Friday.
It comes just days after heavy snowfall forced some of the country’s schools to close.
More than 114 were shut in the Highland council area on Thursday, including Inverness Royal academy where pupils were told their prelim exams planned for the day would be rescheduled.
Almost 40 schools in Aberdeenshire were also shut, while many others had delayed openings. In Moray, about 12 were closed and others opened late. More than 100 schools or nurseries were closed in Scotland on Wednesday because of the weather.
In England, 89 schools were shut in Devon on Thursday, 18 in Dorset and 60 in Cornwall. In Wales, about 10 were closed in Conwy, 18 in Denbighshire and two in Wrexham.
The weather also presented challenges for public transport, with Stagecoach Highland services in Inverness suspended because of road conditions and Stagecoach Bluebird services in Moray disrupted.
Met Office forecasters have issued a yellow warning of snow and ice for much of Scotland, northern England and parts of western and eastern England and Wales until 10am on Friday.
