Warning: Yellow

To expect: Snow and ice

Affected areas: Northern Ireland

Start time estimate: Saturday noon

End time estimate: Monday noon

The Met Office has announced a Yellow snow and ice alert for Northern Ireland from Saturday to Monday.

Wintry showers are set to impact the region, beginning at around noon on Saturday and dying out by noon on Monday.

The Yellow alert for snow and ice was announced at 10:31am on Friday, January 2.

A Met Office forecast said: “Snow showers will continue to affect many parts of Northern Ireland over the weekend, before gradually easing on Monday. The heaviest and most frequent snow showers will be in the north, although along the north coast these may fall as rain or sleet at times. Whilst not all locations in the warning areas will see snow, around 1-3 cm is expected to have fallen in many places by Monday morning, with the potential for 5-10 cm to build up in a few locations, especially over higher routes, such as Glenshane Pass. Ice will be an additional hazard for many.”

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. 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. 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: 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.

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 noon on Monday.