Warning: Yellow
To expect: Snow and ice
Affected areas: Central, Tayside and Fife, Grampian, Highlands and Eilean Siar, Orkney and Shetland, Strathclyde
Start time estimate: Saturday midnight
End time estimate: Sunday 11pm
The Met Office has announced a Yellow snow and ice alert for Central, Tayside and Fife, Grampian, Highlands and Eilean Siar, Orkney and Shetland and Strathclyde across the UK for Saturday and Sunday.
The warning is covering parts of Central, Tayside and Fife, Grampian, Highlands and Eilean Siar, Orkney and Shetland, Strathclyde. All local areas affected are listed below.
The regions will be approached by snowfall, which is projected to start impacting the areas on Saturday at around midnight before dying out at 11pm on Sunday.
The Yellow alert for snow and ice was announced at 9:36am on Wednesday, December 31.
A Met Office forecast said: “Snow showers are expected to continue through the weekend, being brought well inland by strong northerly winds. Winds should ease somewhat into Sunday, with showers by then most prevalent around coasts. With temperatures inland likely remaining below freezing through the weekend, thaw of lying snow is not expected. With respect to additional accumulations: through the weekend a further 2 to 5, locally 10-15 cm of lying snow is possible in low lying areas. 15-30 cm could potentially accumulate above 200 m, most likely for the northwest Highlands and Grampians. Given wind strengths Saturday some drifting of snow and temporary blizzard conditions are likely. Lightning will be an additional hazard near showers.”
What to expect
Possible travel delays on roads stranding some vehicles and passengers; Possible delays or cancellations to rail and air travel; Some rural communities could become cut off; Power cuts may occur and other services, such as mobile phone coverage, may be affected; A chance of injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces; Untreated pavements and cycle paths might be impassable.
What should you do?
Snowy, 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).
People cope better when they have prepared in advance for the risk of power cuts or being cut off from services and amenities due to the snow. It’s easy to do; consider gathering torches and batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essential items.
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 regions affected
Central, Tayside and Fife
Angus, Dundee, Perth and Kinross, Stirling
Grampian
Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray
Highlands and Eilean Siar
Eilean Siar, Highland
Orkney and Shetland
Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands
Strathclyde
Argyll and Bute, Inverclyde, West Dunbartonshire
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 11pm on Sunday.