Warning: Yellow

To expect: Snow and ice

Affected areas: Northern Ireland

Start time estimate: Friday 5pm

End time estimate: Saturday 11am

The Met Office has announced a Yellow snow and ice warning for Northern Ireland until Saturday midday.

The region will be approached by wintry showers, which are predicted to start impacting the area on Friday at around 5pm before clearing at 11am on Saturday.

The Yellow alert for snow and ice was announced at 9:42am on Friday, January 9.

A Met Office forecast said: “Clear spells on Friday evening and overnight will allow temperatures to quickly fall below freezing, leading to the development of icy stretches, especially on untreated surfaces. A scattering of wintry showers are also expected, these falling as snow over hills above 200 m, where further small accumulations of 1 to 3 cm are possible in a few places.”

What to expect

Some roads and railways affected with longer journey times by road, bus and train services; Some injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces; 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. Not needing to rush, reduces your risk of accidents, slips, and falls. 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). 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. 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 11am on Saturday.