Weather: Met Office issues yellow warnings for snow and ice
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Parts of the UK are blanketed in snow, but an array of weather warnings for the nation urge people to be on guard – as wintry showers and dangerous icy conditions are coming. One amber warning, covering parts of north eastern Scotland is due to come into place from 3pm today. A snow storm for this region is on the horizon with threats of blackouts, no phone signal and stranded vehicles looming. In the hours since, parts of southern England, North Wales, Northern Ireland and more areas in Scotland are now expecting the wrath of the cold blast to hit today.
Met Office chief meteorologist, Paul Gundersen, said: ”The Amber National Severe Weather Warning (NSWWS) runs from 3pm today to midnight as snow showers across the north Highlands become heavy and extend across the Grampians by this evening.
“Accumulations of 10 to 15 cms of snow are possible in places in a short space of time and strong to gale force winds could cause the snow to drift. Isolated thunderstorms are possible with lightning strikes an additional hazard. Showers will turn more to rain or sleet around coasts later with ice developing on untreated surfaces.”
The Met Office says cold air will continue to push across Britain from the north – and this will most likely prompt more warnings over the coming days. Along with icy paths, slippery roads and risks of people toppling over, there are concerns about motorists becoming stranded.
Dale Hipkiss, national network manager at National Highways, said: “Freezing conditions bring so many hazards such as ice and snow and take every possible step to understand your journey in advance and allow lots of extra time when travelling to prepare for the unexpected.
“It is therefore always important to plan ahead for your journey, listen to the weather forecasts, and if weather conditions become challenging, adjust your driving behaviour and take extra care.
“It’s also a good idea for people to check their vehicles, such as tyres, coolant and oil levels, before heading out to reduce the risk of breakdowns.” A Level 3 amber severe cold weather alert has also been in place since yesterday.
It is urging people to keep their homes heated to 18C, if they are elderly or vulnerable and for loved ones to check on their friends and family. These checks should be made to ensure individuals have access to warm food and drinks.
The alert is triggered to let heath and social care bodies know of the adverse conditions to come, and to ensure they can prepare accordingly.
The Met Office has confirmed the cold spell will come to an end later this week and through the weekend across western areas, where it will turn milder and windier with some rain at times.
“However, the cold air is likely to hang on for longer across eastern and southeastern parts of the UK with sharp overnight frosts,” it added.
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