Merseyside has been hit with two weather warnings as snow and ice is forecast for the region
People enjoying a walk in the snow covered Sefton Park
Merseyside is under a double weather warning as snow and freezing rain are predicted for large parts of the country this weekend, according to forecasters. Stranded vehicles, along with delays or cancellations in rail and air travel, are expected as the UK faces a week of wintry conditions, the Met Office has reported.
A yellow warning for snow and ice is in effect from 12pm on Saturday until 9am on Monday covering Merseyside. Additionally, a fresh amber warning for icy surfaces has been issued for most parts of the region.
Yellow weather warning – ice
- Between 4pm on Friday, January 3 and 10am on Saturday, January 4
Temperatures will again fall widely below freezing during Friday evening. This will allow ice to readily form on untreated surfaces, particularly where roads and pavements remain wet from wintry showers. Scattered showers will fall as a mixture of rain, sleet and snow.
Most areas are unlikely to see any fresh accumulations of snow though a slight covering is possible in places.
Merseyside has been hit with two weather warnings(Image: Met Office)
What to expect
- Probably some icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths
- Some injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces
Amber weather warning – snow and ice
- Between 6pm on Saturday, January 4 and 12pm on Sunday, January 5
Snow will become persistent and locally heavy as it pushes south to north across the warning area. As well as snow, a period of freezing rain is also likely bringing some hazardous travel conditions, before milder air follows across all areas by Sunday morning.
While there is some uncertainty in details, 3cm to 7cm of snow is likely for much of the warning area, with locally 15cm to 30cm for the higher ground of Wales and the southern Pennines. Freezing rain could lead to ice accretion in places, especially parts of Wales, before the milder air leads to a rapid thaw of snow and ice in the south of the warning area through Sunday.
What to expect
- There is a good chance that power cuts may occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage
- Travel delays on roads are likely, stranding some vehicles and passengers
- Some road closures and longer journey times possible
- Some delays and cancellations to bus, rail and air travel are likely
- There is a good chance that some rural communities could become cut off
- Untreated pavements and cycle paths likely to be impassable