Warning: Yellow
To expect: Snow and ice
Affected area: Multiple, listed below
Start time estimate: Sunday 2am
End time estimate: Sunday 3pm
The Met Office has announced an updated Yellow snow and ice alert for several regions across the UK for Sunday.
The warning is covering parts of Central, Tayside and Fife, East Midlands, Grampian, Highlands and Eilean Siar, North East England, North West England, Orkney and Shetland, SW Scotland, Lothian Borders, Strathclyde, West Midlands, Yorkshire and Humber. All local areas affected are listed below.
Snow will settle over the regions. The snowfall is predicted to arrive across the areas on Sunday at around 2am, and it will continue snowing until 3pm.
The updated Yellow warning for snow and ice was issued at 10:27am on Saturday, January 10.
A Met Office forecast said: “A band of snow will move across the warning area during Sunday. Across northern England snow will mostly be confined to ground above 200 metres elevation, but across Scotland this could fall to low levels during the morning, before becoming increasingly confined to higher ground through the afternoon. Whilst not all areas will see accumulating snow at low levels, 2 to 5 cm is likely in places, perhaps temporarily 10 cm before snow turns back to rain. Above 200 metres elevation 10 to 20 cm is possible, perhaps locally up to 30 cm on hills exposed to the strong southerly winds, and over the highest parts of Scotland. Strong winds will lead to some drifting of the snow. Amounts of snow will depend quite heavily on both elevation and the intensity of precipitation, and as the band pushes east through the afternoon, it will begin to transition to an awkward mix of rain, sleet and snow. Therefore there is likely to be a lot of variation, even over relatively short distances. In addition, there is a risk of freezing rain across the east of the area for a few hours after dawn on Sunday morning, perhaps leading to widespread ice that would affect all surfaces. Ice from freezing rain, also know as black ice or glaze, is difficult to see and difficult to clear.”
What to expect
Possible travel delays on roads stranding some vehicles and passengers; Possible delays or cancellations to rail and air travel; Bus and train services may be delayed or cancelled, with some road closures and longer journey times possible; Power cuts may occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage; Untreated pavements and cycle paths likely to be impassable, especially in the east of the warning area; A chance of injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces.
What should you do?
Snowy, icy, wintry weather can cause delays and make driving conditions dangerous. If you need to drive, follow these few simple steps to prepare before journeys: plan your route, checking for delays and road closures; look well ahead for potential hazards and keep you speed down; accelerate, brake, steer and change gear as smoothly as possible to reduce the risk of skidding; leave more time to prepare and check your car e.g., wipers, tyres and screen wash; make sure you have essentials in your car (warm clothing, food, water, a blanket, a torch, and an in-car charger). Keep yourself and your family safe when it is icy. Plan to leave the house at least five minutes earlier than normal to reduce your risk of accidents, slips, and falls. If making 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. People cope better when they have prepared in advance for the risk of power cuts or being cut off from services and amenities due to the snow. It’s easy to do; consider gathering torches and batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essential items. 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
Central, Tayside and Fife
Angus, Clackmannanshire, Dundee, Falkirk, Fife, Perth and Kinross, Stirling
East Midlands
Derbyshire
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
Cheshire East, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire
Orkney and Shetland
Orkney Islands
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
Yorkshire and Humber
North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire
What is an updated 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 place until 3pm on Sunday.