UK snow power cut warning for 61 places in UK as -8C temperatures forecast
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Nearly every city in the UK has been warned of power cuts and travel chaos as freezing temperatures engulf the country this weekend. As Brits brace for two weeks of freezing conditions, the national forecaster has put yellow weather warnings in place, with only a few locations spared. A warning map shows almost every city in England and Wales blanketed by yellow as heavy snow and freezing rain are expected to cause disruption on Saturday and Sunday. Scotland, which has its own, separate warning, is not featured in the most recent update.
In its update, the Met Office said there is a chance "power cuts will occur and other services, such as mobile phone coverage, may be affected". It added that some rural communities could also become cut off due to snow on the surrounding roads. There is also a chance of travel delays on roads, with vehicles and passengers being left stranded. Rail and air travel are also at risk, with a chance of cancellations or delays.
The update reads: "Outbreaks of rain spreading progressively northeastwards later on Saturday and overnight into Sunday will likely be preceded by a spell of snow on its northern flank. Whilst there is some uncertainty, any snow in southern and eastern parts of England, especially at low levels, will probably be rather transient before turning back to rain. However, some significant accumulations of snow are possible across parts of Wales, the Midlands and northern England in particular, at least for a time, where 5 cm or more could accumulate fairly widely, with perhaps as much as 20-30 cm over high ground of mid and north Wales and potentially 30-40 cm over parts of the Pennines. This, accompanied by strengthening winds, may lead to drifting of lying snow.
