Warning: Yellow
To expect: Snow and ice
Affected area: Multiple, listed below
Start time estimate: Saturday 9pm
End time estimate: Sunday 10am
The Met Office has announced a Yellow snow and ice warning for several regions across the UK for Saturday and Sunday.
The warning is covering parts of Central, Tayside and Fife, East Midlands, Grampian, Highlands and Eilean Siar, North East England, North West England, SW Scotland, Lothian Borders, Strathclyde, West Midlands, Yorkshire and Humber. All local areas affected are listed below.
Wintry showers are set to impact the regions, beginning at approximately 9pm on Saturday and tapering off by 10am on Sunday.
The Yellow alert for snow and ice was announced at 10:28am on Friday, February 13.
A Met Office forecast said: “Outbreaks of rain spreading eastwards on Saturday night will fall as snow initially, even to low levels for a time, before becoming confined to higher ground as milder air arrives from the west. Temporary snow accumulations of 1-3 cm will be possible at low levels, with 3-7 cm possible above about 150 m elevation, and perhaps 10-15 cm above 400 m. Areas sheltered to the north of high ground may see very little snow. Ice will be an additional hazard, particularly across northeast England and parts of Scotland where precipitation has the potential to fall on frozen ground leading to very slippery conditions. Snow will turn increasingly to rain into Sunday morning, perhaps as a short spell of freezing rain in places, before eventually clearing to the east with a steady thaw of lying snow then setting in.”
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). 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. 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.q For further details see Met Office Warnings & Advice.
Full list of local areas affected
Central, Tayside and Fife
Angus, Clackmannanshire, Dundee, Falkirk, Fife, Perth and Kinross, Stirling
East Midlands
Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
Grampian
Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray
Highlands and Eilean Siar
Highland
North East England
Darlington, Durham, Gateshead, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, Northumberland, Redcar and Cleveland, South Tyneside, Stockton-on-Tees, Sunderland
North West England
Blackburn with Darwen, Cheshire East, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire
SW Scotland, Lothian Borders
Dumfries and Galloway, East Lothian, Edinburgh, Midlothian Council, Scottish Borders, West Lothian
Strathclyde
Argyll and Bute, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire
West Midlands
Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent
Yorkshire and Humber
East Riding of Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West 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 10am on Sunday.