Hundreds of schools in Scotland remained closed on Wednesday as snow and freezing temperatures continued to hit most parts of the UK.

The Met Office is forecasting further and ‘frequent’ spells of ‘heavy’ snow in parts of Scotland, covering Aberdeen, Aviemore in the Cairngorms, and Ullapool, Ross-shire.

Other areas of the UK saw snow on Friday, and yellow warnings are now in place for parts of the UK, including much of Northern Ireland, until 3pm on Monday. Met Office chief meteorologist Rebekah Hicks said: "Arctic air and brisk northerly winds are gripping the UK as we start the new year.

This is how cold it has to be to snow in the UK, according to the Met Office - find out how snow forms and if it can ever be too cold to snow.

According to the latest weather models produced by WX Charts, on January 11, widespread blizzards are set to blow across the UK, leaving England, Scotland and Wales covered in snow while the mercury plunges to negative temperatures.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has also issued an amber cold health alert warning of disruption to the health sector, covering the north east and north west of England until 5 January. All other regions in England will be under a yellow alert for this period.

These include Warwickshire, Rutland, Leicestershire, Northants, Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Essex, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Wiltshire, Somerset, Surrey, Greater London, Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, and Cornwall.

Britain, already in the midst of one of its coldest and longest cold snaps in years, is set to endure heavy snowfall and strong winds later Thursday that weather authorities have warned could bring a risk to life.