Warning: Yellow

To expect: Snow

Affected areas: Orkney & Shetland

Start time estimate: Tuesday 6pm

End time estimate: Wednesday 11pm

The Met Office has announced a Yellow snow warning for Orkney & Shetland for Tuesday and Wednesday.

The region should prepare for substantial snowfall, starting on Tuesday at around 6pm and persisting until 11pm on Wednesday.

The Yellow alert for snow was issued at 9:33am on Monday, February 2.

A Met Office forecast said: “Wintry showers over Shetland on Tuesday will turn to more persistent snowfall from Tuesday evening, continuing throughout Wednesday with the potential to bring some disruption. By the end of Wednesday accumulations of 1-3cm are expected quite widely, with perhaps up to 5-10 cm building up over higher ground. Strong winds at times will lead to blizzard conditions and drifting of lying snow.”

What to expect

Some roads likely to be affected with longer journey times by road and bus services.

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.

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 will remain in effect until 11pm on Wednesday.