Sheffield weather: Snow and sleet headed for South Yorkshire as 2026 gets off to bitterly cold start

Forecasters predicts snow and ice across large stretches of the the UK today (January 2) with warnings of likely travel disruption.

However, Sheffield is not expected to see any snow today, with the first dusting of the year forecast in the Steel City on Tuesday (January 6).

However, as many as five days of snow and sleety rain could follow.

Here’s everything you need to know

Sheffield escapes weather warnings for now

Yellow weather warnings for snow and ice are already in place for parts of the UK, ahead of amber snow warnings for northern Scotland which begin at midday on Friday.

A yellow weather warning for snow and ice is in place throughout Friday morning for an area covering London, Greater Manchester and Cardiff, while a yellow warning for ice in the south west of England was issued by the Met Office on Friday morning which runs until 10am.

Around 2cm of snow could fall in some areas, with up to 5cm on higher ground.

What is the weather forecast in Sheffield?

Sheffield has escaped today’s weather warnings and is not due for any snow until Tuesday.

However, it is proving a very cold start to 2026, with lows of -2C and brisk winds making it feel even colder.

The Met Office even predicts Sheffield will be remain dry and sunny all through the weekend and into Monday, but temperatures will struggle to rise above freezing and only hover around 0C.

Then, the snow from the north is set to catch up to Sheffield on Tuesday.

‘Five days of snow’ in Sheffield arrives Tuesday

A sharp change in weather will arrive on January 6 when sleet and flurries of snow drive in from the north.

After another freezing cold night dropping to -1C is predicted, with the Met Office forecasting sleet to arrive at 1pm, ahead of light snow in the evening from 6pm.

The wet conditions brought by the sleet could hamper the snow’s ability to settle, with a good chance of it turning to ice overnight.

However, BBC Weather is then forecasting light snow across Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and more sleet on Sunday.

The Met Office disagrees, instead expecting this snow forecast to wash away into bands of rain.

Health warnings

A Met Office spokeswoman said: "We expect this cold spell to persist into the weekend and on into next week, with further warnings possible as temperatures remain well below average and snow showers continue in places."

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued warnings across England for the start of the year, which are in place until 10am on January 6 .

The UKHSA said it means the weather is "likely" to cause significant impacts across health and social care services.

Dr Paul Coleman, consultant in health protection at the UKHSA, said: "The weather is forecast to be very cold across England over the coming few days.

"Low temperatures like these can have serious impacts on the health of some people, particularly older people and those with serious health conditions.

"Exposure to cold can lead to increased risk of heart attacks, strokes and chest infections.

"It is therefore really important, as the colder weather sets in, to check in on friends, family and neighbours that are most vulnerable."