Hundreds of schools have been forced to close on the first Monday of the new year as snow covers parts of the UK. This follows temperatures as low as -10.9°C recorded on 4 January, in Cumbria and 52cm of snowfall recorded at Tomintoul in Banffshire this morning (Monday, 5 January). Yellow snow and ice alerts are in place across Scotland, Northern Ireland, the North of England, Devon, Cornwall, the East of England, and the West of Wales. These warnings mean “possible power cuts and an increased risk of other services, like phone signal, becoming impaired,” the Met Office’s site reads . That’s why experts recommend getting some “essentials” together in advance in case you’re affected by a power cut, as driving in the snow is best avoided when at all possible. Which essentials do you need in a power cut? Per the Met Office , you should ensure you have: Torches Batteries Candles Matches or lighters A mobile phone power pack. The office added that if you’ve been affected by a power cut, you should unplug all electronics that need to be attended at the wall. That way, when the power comes back on, you won’t accidentally restart them and forget, eg, a pair of hair straighteners that you were using when the power cut began. Leave at least one light on so you can figure out when the power is back, and check to see if your neighbour has the same problem (if they don’t, the problem could be a tripped switch). Wrap up warm, keep internal doors shut to trap in heat, and use a portable heater if you have one. Additionally, you can call 105 – it’s a free service for those in Scotland, England, and Wales which allows you to report the power cut to your electricity network operator, and receive more information if you need any. Why do snow and ice cause power cuts to begin with? Snow and ice can build up on branches and power lines in a way that water, which drips off, can’t. That can make branches fall onto power lines or weigh the lines themselves down, Interesting Engineering shared . Then, there’s the simple fact of the temperature. The many component parts of a power system each have ideal running temperatures ; very cold and very hot weather can throw them off, forcing the network to work harder. Even in the absence of snowfall, tree roots can sometimes provide a pathway for ice on the ground to make its way to underground power lines. Related... This Is Where To Expect Snow In The UK This Week 'Snowshoeing' Can Be Better Exercise Than Walking, Says GP Yellow Snow And Ice Warnings: Risks And Next Steps, Explained