The UK is bracing for disruption due to heavy snow and freezing rain as an amber weather warning has been issued. Northern England, Wales, and the Midlands are predicted to be the hardest hit, with some areas potentially seeing up to 40cm of snow. The Met Office has warned of dangerous travel conditions, advising motorists to avoid driving, as well as the possibility of power cuts and rural communities being cut off. Yellow weather warnings are also in place for Scotland, Northern Ireland, and parts of southern England.
Two separate amber warnings have been issued. One covers most of Wales and central England, including the north-west cities of Liverpool and Manchester, as well as the Midlands, and warns of snow and freezing rain. The other alert covers most of northern England, including Leeds, Sheffield, and the Lake District, and is in effect from 21:00 GMT on Saturday to midnight on Sunday. Yellow snow and freezing rain warnings are in place for much of England and Wales until Sunday, though milder temperatures are expected to cause less disruption than in the amber warning areas.
The Royal Meteorological Society’s Professor Liz Bentley explained that freezing rain occurs when droplets fall onto surfaces at temperatures below zero degrees and freeze instantly, causing a “glazed ice” on the ground. Snowfall has already begun in western England and is expected to continue moving northwards across England and Wales overnight, turning readily to snow as it interacts with the cold air across the UK. The heaviest snow is expected in higher parts of Wales, the Midlands, and northern England, with up to 30-40cm possible over mountains such as the Peak District, the Pennines, and north Wales, and some lower areas are expected to see disruptive snow
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