Some football games have already been cancelled this weekend due to the cold weather. 

Here are the sporting fixtures that have been cancelled so far: 

• Cheltenham’s match against League Two leaders Walsall;
• Halifax’s National League home game against Fylde;
• A race at Newcastle Racecourse has also been cancelled due to the course being frozen.

Explained: What is freezing rain?

It is rain that has become “supercooled” as it falls from the sky.

It starts as snow, ice, sleet or hail high up in the atmosphere, but as it travels down it melts through a layer of warmer air, then refreezes again through a layer of colder air near the surface.

The conditions needed for freezing rain are quite specific and it is not a phenomenon seen very often in the UK. 

Why is it dangerous?

As soon as it hits the ground it turns to ice.

The ice is very clear, often referred to as black ice, because it is so difficult to see, making it treacherous for pedestrians and drivers.

Can it cause a lot of damage?

It has the potential to.

Freezing rain, when it falls onto surfaces, can be very dangerous.

If it hits power lines or tree branches, depending on how much rain there has been, the weight of the ice can cause them to break off because they can’t support the weight.

It can also make it difficult to open your car door if there is enough of it.

Yellow weather warnings updated

The Met Office has updated its yellow weather warnings.

A yellow weather warnings for snow was expected in Orkney and Shetland from 10am until 8pm on Saturday.

There is also a yellow weather warning for ice for northern Scotland from 6pm on Saturday until 10am on Sunday.

A yellow warning of snow and ice is also in place in Northern Ireland from 9pm Saturday until 6pm on Sunday.

Meanwhile, a yellow weather warning for rain for parts of Wales and western parts of England will come into force from 6am on Sunday. The alert ends at 9pm on Sunday.

‘It’s the calm before the storm’

We are expecting to see “quite significant snow and ice issues this weekend”, reports meteorologist Kirsty McCabe. 

She says there is an area of wet and windy weather moving up from the southwest and as it bumps into the cold air it will turn into sleet and snow.

“This whole system is moving its way northwards,” she says.

“We’ve got plenty of weather warnings out in force but it’s going to be quite difficult conditions on the roads and there will be power issues as well.

“It’s the calm before the storm at the moment.

“A little bit chilly this morning but it will be a very different picture for many of us tomorrow morning.”