Met Office issues weather alerts as health authorities warn of potentially fatal risk to vulnerable people. Snow and ice are set to hit the UK this weekend, with the Met Office also issuing a rare forecast for the hazardous phenomenon of freezing rain. Following a lengthy spell of wintry temperatures across the UK, the Met Office has now put yellow weather warnings in force for snow and ice across swathes of northeastern England.
Those warnings – stretching from Newcastle to Bradford – are in place from 6am until 2pm on Saturday, while the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has also issued a cold weather alert covering parts of North East England, Yorkshire and the Humber. Cold temperatures are set to persist across the UK this weekend, with some heavier rain also forecast in southern Wales and southwestern England. The icy conditions are expected to have minor impacts on health and social care services, and will pose a greater risk to the lives of vulnerable people, the UKHSA warns.
Met Office chief meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said that 2 to 5cm of snow is possible over the Cheviots and North Yorks Moors, with localised accumulations also possible at lower levels. The Met Office has issued a weather warning for snow and ice, which it says could lead to some disruption on Saturday. Forecasters say to expect:. The Met Office has warned that freezing rain could be possible in areas above 200m over the Pennines.
Freezing rain – commonly known as ice storms in North America – is not often seen in the UK because the conditions needed for it are quite specific. It is rainfall that has become “supercooled” as it falls from the sky, travelling through various temperatures in the atmosphere. It starts as sleet or hail high up in the atmosphere, but as it travels down it melts through a layer of warmer air, then refreezes again through a layer of colder air near the surface.
The effects can be visually striking, but also very hazardous if taking place on roads or pavements. A yellow weather warning for ice and snow has been issued across parts of the UK this weekend. Alexander Butler has more details in this report:. The Met Office has issued a weather warning for snow and ice, stretching from above Newcastle in the north, to Bradford further south. A weather warning for snow and ice has been issued in northeastern England, and will be in force from 6am to 2pm on Saturday.
The Met Office has warned of up to 5cm of snow the North York Moors and Northumberland, with the potential for lesser accumulations in lower areas. There is also a risk of ice over the Pennines, particularly above 200 metres where freezing rain is possible, forecasters said. Good afternoon, we’ll be using this blog to bring you the latest UK weather updates as the Met Office issues weather warnings for snow and ice.
