Warning: Yellow
To expect: Ice
Affected areas: Grampian, Highlands and Eilean Siar, Orkney and Shetland
Start time estimate: Thursday 9pm
End time estimate: Friday 11am
The Met Office has issued a Yellow ice warning for several regions across the UK until Friday midday.
The warning is covering parts of Grampian, Highlands and Eilean Siar, Orkney and Shetland. All local areas affected are listed below.
A Yellow weather warning is in effect during Thursday, starting from around 9pm and continuing until Friday 11am. Forecasters say icy impact is anticipated in the affected regions and can create slick patches.
The Yellow alert for ice was issued at 11:03am on Thursday, November 20.
A Met Office forecast said: “Showers will continue to feed inland through Thursday evening, overnight and into Friday morning. As temperatures fall overnight ice will form on untreated surfaces, while snow may begin to settle mainly above 200-300 metres, leading to further accumulations of 1-2 cm, perhaps up to 5cm in places.”
What to expect
Some injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces; Icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths; Some roads and railways likely to be affected with longer journey times by road, bus and train services.
What should you do?
Wintry weather can cause delays and make driving conditions dangerous, so to keep yourself and others safe: plan your route, checking for delays and road closures, amending your travel plans if necessary; if driving, leave more time to prepare and check your car before setting off; make sure you have essentials packed in your car in the event of any delays (warm clothing, food, water, a blanket, a torch, ice scraper/de-icer, a warning triangle, high visibility vest and an in-car phone charger). 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 or by bike, try to use pavements along main roads which are likely to be less slippery. 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. Be prepared for weather warnings to change: 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
Grampian
Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray
Highlands and Eilean Siar
Highland
Orkney and Shetland
Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands
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 ice will remain in place until 11am on Friday.