The Met Office has issued an updated yellow snow and ice warning for several regions across the UK for Wednesday and Thursday, January 1 into January 2. Snowfall is expected to hit, arriving across the areas on Wednesday at around 9am and continuing until 3am on Thursday.
The full list of local areas affected includes Central and Tayside, Strathclyde, SW Scotland, Lothian Borders and Fife in Scotland, East Midlands, North East England, North West England and Yorkshire and Humber. The yellow alert for snow and ice was announced at 11am on Sunday, December 29.
A Met Office forecast said: “A band of rain in association with a deep low-pressure system moving in from the west pushes east on Wednesday. This is likely to turn to snow as it moves into cold air across the northern half of the UK. 2-5 cm and locally nearer 10 cm of snow accumulations are possible widely, with 10-15 cm and locally 20-25 cm over hills with significant drifting due to strong winds.”
What to expect
There is a small chance of travel delays on roads with some stranded vehicles and passengers, along with delayed or cancelled rail and air travel. There is a slight chance that some rural communities could become cut off. There is a small chance that power cuts will occur and other services, such as mobile phone coverage, may be affected.
What should you do?
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, the Met Office said. 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 https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/uk-warnings.
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 place until 3am on Thursday.