Met Office issues new 17 hour snow and ice warning as UK braces for chaos

UK weather: Cold temperatures with frost and snow

Britain is bracing for more snow reaching more widespread towns and cities in the coming hours, with the Met Office issuing more weather warnings. The forecaster has today added another yellow alert for snow and ice which comes into affect from 5pm.

Seven regions and 27 counties are anticipating snow and a drop in temperatures as the night draws in, prompting a particularly icy spell overnight. The warning due to expire at 10am tomorrow, but with a particularly icy blast due to come in off the Atlantic on Saturday night, there’s a chance it may be extended.

The Met Office warning says: “Wintry showers will affect North Sea coastal districts of England and Northern Scotland during Friday evening and overnight. These are likely to fall onto frozen surfaces in places allowing icy patches to form.

“Additionally, showers will fall as snow inland, with 1-2 cm possible in places, chiefly over hills.”

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In terms of what to expect, the Met Office says roads and railways are likely to be affected – especially by freshly laying snow and sub-zero temperatures making areas icy and hazardous.

Buses and trains could be impacted by such conditions. Despite gritters scrambling to clear major routes, some smaller residential roads are unlikely to be touched, along with pavements and cycle paths.

People are more injury prone in these circumstances, the Met Office says, due to an increased risk of slips and falls. Weather maps show temperatures struggling to get above freezing today for many.

By 6pm, the south east to the Midlands will be at 0C – but thermometers will start to falter north of Birmingham to around -1C, which is when the real danger of ice begins to take hold.

Full list of snow warning areas

East Midlands

  • Lincolnshire

East of England

  • Essex
  • Norfolk
  • Southend-on-Sea
  • Suffolk

Highlands & Eilean Siar

  • Eilean Siar
  • Highland

London & South East England

  • Kent
  • Medway

North East England

  • Darlington
  • Durham
  • Gateshead
  • Hartlepool
  • Middlesbrough
  • Newcastle upon Tyne
  • North Tyneside
  • Northumberland
  • Redcar and Cleveland
  • South Tyneside
  • Stockton-on-Tees
  • Sunderland

Orkney & Shetland

  • Orkney Islands
  • Shetland Islands

Yorkshire & Humber

  • East Riding of Yorkshire
  • Kingston upon Hull
  • North East Lincolnshire
  • North Lincolnshire
  • North Yorkshire

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