The Met Office has issued a fresh weather warning for parts of Lancashire as the region continues to grapple with sub-zero temperatures, widespread snow and ice.
The recent cold snap has caused significant disruption across the area, with roads, and schools forced to close and properties in Fylde and Wyre affected by power cuts. South Ribble, Chorley and West Lancashire were under a snow and ice warning overnight.
Temperatures are only due to hit zero in some areas of Lancashire at lunchtime and climb to highs of 1C or 2C today (January 9). Temperatures will swiftly fall below zero again this evening – hitting lows of -10C in eastern areas – while the latest Met Office forecast shows that it will ‘feel like’ -15C in Rossendale and -13C in Pendle.
Unsurprisingly, another warning for ice has now been issued. However at the moment it only covers areas of West Lancashire, including Ormskirk, Burscough and Skelmersdale.
It comes into force at 4pm today and lasts for 18 hours, until 10am on Friday (January 10). The warning also covers Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire, the West Midlands and Wales.
The new warning for ice will last for 18 hours
People are urged to take care and expect travel disruption on Friday morning. A Met Office spokesperson added: “Scattered wintry showers on Thursday evening will slowly fade overnight, leading to the risk of icy patches on untreated surfaces as temperatures fall below freezing. Isolated snow accumulations of 2-4 cm will be possible, more especially in Wales on hills above 150m elevation.”
The Met Office has said Wednesday night’s coldest temperature was recorded at Shap in Cumbria at minus 11.2C. Temperatures had been forecast to plummet as low as minus 16C overnight.
A Met Office spokeswoman told the PA news agency they are “expecting tonight to be another very cold night”. Temperatures are expected to turn less cold from the North West over the weekend.
The UK Health Security Agency has extended its cold weather health alert for all of England until Sunday. Amber alerts have been extended and will now run until January 12, meaning a rise in deaths is likely, the agency said
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