Snow has fallen across Greater Manchester overnight with two severe weather warnings in place.
Two amber weather warnings from the Met Office have been put in place in England and Wales with 3cm to 7cm of snowfall predicted for much of the affected area, mixing with rain at times in lower-lying areas. The Met Office said some rural communities could be cut off with up to 40cm of snow on ground above 300m before conditions ease later on Sunday.
Both amber warnings cover Greater Manchester. One amber warning for snow and freezing rain, which covers much of Wales and the Midlands alongside Manchester, is in place until midday on Sunday. Higher ground in Wales and the southern Pennines could see 15cm to 30cm of snow, the forecaster said, with milder air leading to a rapid thaw in the south of the warning area through Sunday.
FOLLOW LIVE WEATHER UPDATES HERE
The second amber warning for snow, covering most of northern England including Leeds, Sheffield and the Lake District, alongside northern stretches of Greater Manchester, is in place until midnight on Sunday.
The conditions have led to widespread disruption, with travel operators warning people to take care when out and to expect journeys to be delayed.
The Bee Network has said: “An amber weather warning for snow and ice is in place until 12pm today [Sun 5 Jan] across Greater Manchester. If you’re making a journey, check before you travel to see if your route is impacted and take extra care when travelling.”
National Highways warned up to 25cm of snow could hit roads in northern England. As well as snow, National Highways warned rain may initially fall on frozen ground and lead to ice with areas of high ground, including the Cotswolds and Peak District, most at risk.
All the roads shut around Greater Manchester due to snow
As of 7am, all the roads impacted by snow are:
- Two lanes closed due to snow on M61 in both directions from J5 A58 Snydale Way (Westhoughton) to J6 A6027 De Havilland Way (Horwich).
- M62 in both directions just passable due to snow from J21 A6193 Sir Isaac Newton Way (Milnrow) to J23 A640 New Hey Road (Huddersfield). The motorway is down to one lane in places along this stretch.
- A57 Snake Pass in both directions closed due to snow between A6013 / A57 (Ladybower Reservoir) Ladybower Reservoir and Hurst Road (Royal Oak Inn).
- A628 Woodhead Pass in both directions closed due to snow between Tintwistle and A616 (Flouch Roundabout).
This story will be updated throughout the day.