[ad_1]
There are weather warnings of severe cold, snow and icy conditions over the weekend ahead of snow expected to hit the north of the country.
The Met Office has issued yellow snow warnings for much of Scotland, the north-west of England and Wales for Saturday, extending to snow in the north and snow across much of the rest of England.
A yellow warning was also issued for south-west England shortly before 6am on Saturday.
Residents were warned that “icy surfaces will cause difficult travel conditions in some locations” in the area.
A level 3 cold weather warning had previously been issued for the whole of England by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) until midnight on Sunday, which it warned could “increase health risks for vulnerable patients and disrupt the delivery of services”.
Forecasters said temperatures may rise temporarily on Sunday but this will bring snow, sleet and high winds leading to sleet and freezing rain, creating hazardous conditions on roads.
The Met Office’s deputy chief forecaster, Helen Caughey, said: “The northerly air flow and cold conditions that have dominated our weather patterns over the past 10 days will begin to lose ground on Sunday to light air pressure from the south-west.
“As the mild air meets the cold air currently in place across the UK, there will be a short spell of snow, potentially at low levels, particularly in the north.
“This includes the risk of rain on frozen surfaces and high winds over parts of northern Britain, bringing blizzard conditions, and this may be a day to avoid traveling in some areas, although the snow should turn to rain later.
“Areas north of the Pennines are likely to be worst affected, which could result in some power disruptions.”
Caughey said cooler temperatures are likely to return next week but it’s too early to tell if there will be a white Christmas.
She said: “It’s going to be hectic next week. Strong winds may prove disruptive at times, particularly in the early part of the week, and some persistent showers are likely in parts of the south-west.
“While not as cold as we are currently experiencing, we may see some winter hazards return at times, mainly over the high ground in the north, but there is still a lot of uncertainty about how long this might last and the risks associated with it. can bring
“The bleak picture next week means that, with Christmas just over a week away, it’s still far from certain whether we’ll have a white Christmas or not.”
Peter Jenkins, director of campaigns at Water UK, advised that rising temperatures could lead to burst pipes.
He said: “The recent cold weather has been very disruptive for many people.
“The last thing we want is for people to experience further disruption as temperatures rise this weekend, putting many homes at risk of burst pipes due to freeze-thaw.
“That’s why we’re urging everyone to check their water pipes are well insulated now and follow our simple tips to protect homes from the elements.
“If you are concerned about the impact of freeze-thaw or cold weather, we encourage you to contact your water company for further help and advice.”
Scotland faced widespread travel problems, with Police Scotland issuing a travel warning for the entire nation advising people to travel with caution as icy conditions affected many roads on Friday.
Glasgow Airport’s runway was closed during the morning while air passengers were also affected as snow and ice cleared. It reopened at around 11.30am.
Engineers in Shetland are working to reconnect thousands of homes that lost power on Monday afternoon after heavy snow brought down lines.
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution said that as of 1pm on Friday, around 1,600 properties in Waugh, Brae and parts of the West Mainland in Shetland remained without power.
[ad_2]
Source link
