UK snow: how your phone signal and WhatsApp is affected by freezing weather - how to protect device

• The Met Office has issued snow warnings as cold snap hits.
• Freezing conditions bring miserable start to 2025.
• But can it cause problems with your phone? 

A cold snap has brought an arctic blast to large parts of the country to start 2025. Subzero temperatures and snow have arrived - after heavy rain caused major disruption over the New Year.

The Met Office has issued warnings for ice and snow today (January 2) and further alerts are in place for the coming weekend. With the arctic snap arriving you might be wondering if it can impact your smartphone. 

It is more important than ever to be able to stay in contact with the outside world when conditions take a turn for the worse. You might be wondering what - if any - impact the cold weather can have on your phone. 

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Do mobile phones still work in snowy weather? 

If you’ve got a modern smartphone, it will likely have a lithium-ion battery inside the handset. Cold weather can actually have an impact on these devices. 

TIME reports that Apple has said that its iPhones are made to operate in temperatures above 32F (which for those of us outside of the US is 0 degrees celsius). Freezing conditions are expected for many places in the country and could dip below zero. 

The effects include, according to Roger Gurney, owner of Arctic Tech Solutions, causing lithium-ion batteries to stop discharging electricity in extremely cold temperatures. Top tips to protect your phone in this scenario include keeping it in your pocket and even switching it off. 

Can you get a phone signal in a snow storm? 

If you are in an area that has been hit by a heavy snowstorm, it could cause your phone signal to be slightly disrupted. SureCall Boosters says that “snow and hail can impact your phone's signal, this typically only occurs during heavy storms”. 

The website adds: “Strong winter weather can weaken your signal by damaging powerlines or cellular towers. If this occurs, your phone will struggle to find a proper signal, especially if there isn't another network tower around.” 

Is WhatsApp disrupted by snowstorms? 

WhatsApp sends messages via your WiFi or mobile data network - so if you lose access to the internet you will be unable to send or receive WhatsApps. WeBoost reports that heavy snow can have an indirect effect on 4G and 5G signals. 

Have you been hit by snow - and have you noticed any impact on your phone? Share your experiences by emailing me: [email protected].