Severe cold, ice and snowy conditions are in place for the rest of the weekend as blizzards are expected to sweep across the North East on Sunday.

The Met Office has issued yellow warnings of ice for much of the North of England, Scotland and Wales for the remainder of today, with this extending to more snow on Sunday.

A level-three cold weather alert was issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for all of England until midnight on Sunday, which it warns could, “increase the health risks to vulnerable patients and disrupt the delivery of services.”

Forecasters say temperatures could temporarily rise on Sunday but this will bring strong winds leading to snow, blizzards and ice and freezing rain, creating hazardous conditions on the roads.

Read more: UK weather: Met Office issues yellow warning for ice and snow

Met Office deputy chief forecaster Helen Caughey said: “The northerly airflow and cold conditions which have dominated our weather patterns over the last ten days will start to lose ground to a push of mild air from the south-west on Sunday.

“As the mild air meets the cold air currently in situ over the UK there will be a transient spell of snow, potentially to low levels, especially in the North.

“Add to this the risk of rain falling on to frozen surfaces, and strong winds over upland areas of northern Britain, bringing blizzard conditions, and this could be a day to avoid travelling in some areas, although the snow should turn to rain later.

“There is also a brief risk of a period of freezing rain most likely to impact areas from the Pennines northwards, which could result in some power interruptions.”

Read more: Pictures show County Durham covered in snow amid Met Office warnings

Temperatures are expected to shoot up to 12 or 13 in the region on Monday but Ms Caughey said cold temperatures were likely to return later in the week, although she said it was still too early to say whether there would be a white Christmas.

“It will remain unsettled next week.

Read next:

               Pictures: Snow arrives across the North East

               Pictures as Consett covered in snow during North East cold weather

               Met Office: North East hour-by-hour forecast of when snow will hit

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“Strong winds could prove disruptive at times, especially through the first half of the week, and there is the possibility of some persistent rain for parts of the South West.

“Although not as cold as we are currently experiencing, we could potentially see a return of some wintry hazards at times, mainly across higher ground in the North, but there is still a lot of uncertainty in how prolonged this might be and what associated hazards it might bring.

“The unsettled picture for next week means, that although Christmas is just a week away, it is still not possible to say with any certainty if we will have a white Christmas Day or not.”