People across the UK are being warned to prepare for potential disruption as the country braces for four days of snow mayhem.
Nearly 130 areas, including Lancashire, are being put on alert for travel complications and possible power cuts. The Met Office has issued a series of yellow weather warnings starting from Monday (December 30), with advisories ongoing each day until Thursday, January 2.
Initially, Scotland will face snow alerts; however, from New Year’s Day, England will also see a cover of snow, while strong winds and heavy rain are set to hit other regions, as well as Wales and Scotland. The adverse conditions are anticipated to start at 9am on New Year’s Day, lasting through to the early hours of January 2, at 6am.
The Met Office cautioned: “Very strong winds expected to lead to some disruption. There is a small chance of longer journey times or cancellations as road, rail, air and ferry services are affected.” They also noted: “There is a slight chance that power cuts may occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage.”
Additionally, there was a warning: “There is a small chance that injuries and danger to life could occur from large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties,” reports the Express. Advice provided includes: “Give yourself the best chance of avoiding delays by checking road conditions if driving, or bus and train timetables, amending your travel plans if necessary.”
Moreover, they advised on the importance of readiness for power losses: “People cope better with power cuts when they have prepared for them in advance. It’s easy to do; consider gathering torches and batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essential items.
In its forecast, the Met Office said: “A deep area of low pressure is expected to cross the UK from the west, bringing a spell of very strong winds. Gusts of 65-75 mph are likely around coasts and hills, especially in the south and west, with 50-60 mph gusts likely fairly widely inland.”
Weather warnings are in place every day until Thursday, January 2
In a separate warning for snow on New Year’s Day affecting the north of England including Lancaster and Blackpool, Newcastle, Manchester, Leeds, York, Sheffield, Liverpool and Middlesbrough, the Met Office said: “A band of rain in association with a deep low pressure system moving in from the west pushes east on Wednesday. This is likely to turn to snow as it moves into cold air across the northern half of the UK. 2-5 cm and locally nearer 10 cm of snow accumulations are possible widely, with 10-15 cm and locally 20-25 cm over hills with significant drifting due to strong winds.”
Full list of 130 areas affected by power cuts warning on January 1
- Dumfries and Galloway
- East Lothian
- Edinburgh
- Midlothian Council
- Scottish Borders
- West Lothian
- East Ayrshire
- East Dunbartonshire
- East Renfrewshire
- Glasgow
- North Ayrshire
- North Lanarkshire
- Renfrewshire
- South Ayrshire
- South Lanarkshire
- West Dunbartonshire
- Derby
- Derbyshire
- Leicester
- Leicestershire
- Lincolnshire
- Northamptonshire
- Nottingham
- Nottinghamshire
- Rutland
- Bedford
- Cambridgeshire
- Central Bedfordshire
- Essex
- Hertfordshire
- Luton
- Norfolk
- Peterborough
- Southend-on-Sea
- Suffolk
- Thurrock
- Bracknell Forest
- Brighton and Hove
- Buckinghamshire
- East Sussex
- Greater London
- Hampshire
- Isle of Wight
- Kent
- Medway
- Milton Keynes
- Oxfordshire
- Portsmouth
- Reading
- Slough
- Southampton
- Surrey
- West Berkshire
- West Sussex
- Windsor and Maidenhead
- Wokingham
- Darlington
- Durham
- Gateshead
- Hartlepool
- Middlesbrough
- Newcastle upon Tyne
- North Tyneside
- Northumberland
- Redcar and Cleveland
- South Tyneside
- Stockton-on-Tees
- Sunderland
- Blackburn with Darwen
- Blackpool
- Cheshire East
- Cheshire West and Chester
- Cumbria
- Greater Manchester
- Halton
- Lancashire
- Merseyside
- Warrington
- Bath and North East Somerset
- Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole
- Bristol
- Cornwall
- Devon
- Dorset
- Gloucestershire
- North Somerset
- Plymouth
- Somerset
- South Gloucestershire
- Swindon
- Torbay
- Wiltshire
- Blaenau Gwent
- Bridgend
- Caerphilly
- Cardiff
- Carmarthenshire
- Ceredigion
- Conwy
- Denbighshire
- Flintshire
- Gwynedd
- Isle of Anglesey
- Merthyr Tydfil
- Monmouthshire
- Neath Port Talbot
- Newport
- Pembrokeshire
- Powys
- Rhondda Cynon Taf
- Swansea
- Torfaen
- Vale of Glamorgan
- Wrexham
- Herefordshire
- Shropshire
- Staffordshire
- Stoke-on-Trent
- Telford and Wrekin
- Warwickshire
- West Midlands Conurbation
- Worcestershire
- East Riding of Yorkshire
- Kingston upon Hull
- North East Lincolnshire
- North Lincolnshire
- North Yorkshire
- South Yorkshire
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