Warning: Yellow

To expect: Snow and ice

Affected area: Multiple, listed below

Start time estimate: Friday midnight

End time estimate: Friday noon

The Met Office has announced a Yellow snow and ice alert for several regions across the UK for Friday.

The warning is covering parts of East Midlands, East of England, London and South East England, North West England, South West England, Wales, West Midlands. All local areas affected are listed below.

Snow flurries are set to impact the regions, beginning at approximately midnight on Friday and dying out by noon.

The Yellow alert for snow and ice was issued at 9:36am on Wednesday, December 31.

A Met Office forecast said: “An area of sleet and snow is expected to move southeastwards across parts of England and Wales, lasting approximately 2 or 3 hours in any one place. Where snow falls, 1 or 2 cm is likely for some and perhaps as much as 5 cm snow possible in a few spots, especially higher ground of north Wales and northwest England. Icy patches will also develop quickly as sleet and snow clears.”

What to expect

Some roads and railways likely to be affected with longer journey times by road, bus and train services; Some injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces; Probably some icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths.

What should you do?

Keep yourself and your family safe when it is icy. Plan to leave the house at least five minutes earlier than normal. Not needing to rush, reduces your risk of accidents, slips, and falls. If you need to make a journey on foot, try to use pavements along main roads which are likely to be less slippery. Similarly, if cycling, try and stick to main roads which are more likely to have been treated. Give yourself the best chance of avoiding delays by checking road conditions if driving, or bus and train timetables, amending your travel plans if necessary. Snowy, wintry weather can cause delays and make driving conditions dangerous. Keep yourself and others safe by planning your route, giving yourself extra time for your journey. Check for road closures or delays to public transport and amend plans if necessary. If driving, make sure you have some essentials in your car in the event of any delays (e.g., warm clothing, food, water, a blanket, a torch, ice scraper/de icer, a warning triangle, high visibility vest and an in-car phone charger). Be prepared for weather warnings to change quickly: when a weather warning is issued, the Met Office recommends staying up to date with the weather forecast in your area. For further details see Met Office Warnings & Advice.

Full list of local areas affected

East Midlands
Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire

East of England
Bedford, Cambridgeshire, Central Bedfordshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Luton, Southend-on-Sea, Thurrock

London and South East England
Bracknell Forest, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Greater London, Hampshire, Kent, Medway, Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire, Reading, Slough, Surrey, West Berkshire, West Sussex, Windsor and Maidenhead, Wokingham

North West England
Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Greater Manchester, Halton, Warrington

South West England
Gloucestershire, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, Wiltshire

Wales
Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Newport, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Torfaen, Wrexham

West Midlands
Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Telford and Wrekin, Warwickshire, West Midlands Conurbation, Worcestershire

What is a yellow weather warning?

The Met Office has three categories of weather warning, depending on the likely impact of severe weather and also how likely it is to strike in a particular area.

A yellow warning is issued when weather conditions are expected to disrupt travel and traffic and may impact on daily routines but are not likely to pose a risk to life or property.

An amber warning is more severe and advises people to think about changing their plans to minimise the risk.

A red warning means weather conditions are expected to be dangerous with widespread damage to property and a risk to life, with the public usually advised to avoid travelling.

The Yellow weather alert for snow and ice will remain in place until noon on Friday.