Warning: Yellow
To expect: Snow and ice
Affected areas: East Midlands, East of England, North East England, Yorkshire and Humber
Start time estimate: Saturday midnight
End time estimate: Saturday 11pm
The Met Office has issued a Yellow snow and ice warning for several regions across the UK for Saturday.
The warning is covering parts of East Midlands, East of England, North East England, Yorkshire and Humber. All local areas affected are listed below.
The regions should prepare for substantial snowfall, starting on Saturday at around midnight and ending at 11pm.
The Yellow warning for snow and ice was announced at 9:48am on Thursday, January 1.
A Met Office forecast said: “Snow showers are expected to spread further inland in the early hours of Saturday, becoming frequent and perhaps heavy at times. Around 1-3 cm of snow is likely to accumulate quite widely, with 5-8 cm possible in places, this most likely across the North York Moors. The snow showers will gradually become lighter and less frequent during Saturday evening, and move offshore overnight. Icy patches will also form, particularly during Saturday evening where roads have potentially been left wet from partially thawed snow during the daytime.”
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?
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
Lincolnshire
East of England
Norfolk
North East England
Durham, Gateshead, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, Northumberland, Redcar and Cleveland, South Tyneside, Stockton-on-Tees, Sunderland
Yorkshire and Humber
East Riding of Yorkshire, North East Lincolnshire, North Yorkshire
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 effect until 11pm on Saturday.