The exact hour the UK -3C snow storm begins on January 4 has been changed. The Met Office says its yellow weather warning for snow for England has been “tweaked”, starting from midday on Saturday, with ice and freezing rain expected.
“Now a combined snow and ice warning, to cater for freezing rain. Area tweaked in places, including removing Scotland which is now covered by a separate warning, and the end time has been brought forward,” the Met Office said on its website.
The Met Office says of Friday: “Cold again with plenty of winter sunshine on offer, especially in the south and east. Wintry showers affecting northern and northwestern coasts, winds staying generally light.” The yellow warning adds: “Rain or sleet is likely at times along some coasts and at lower levels towards the west of the warning area, with untreated wet surfaces leading to a risk of ice formation on Thursday night.
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“Scattered wintry showers will be replaced by a longer spell of rain and sleet for a time on Thursday night, particularly across western Scotland and Northern Ireland. As temperatures dip below freezing, this will lead to a risk of ice formation on untreated surfaces, especially inland.
““Whilst any snow is likely to be confined upwards of 200 metres and produce accumulations of no more than 1-2 cm in a few places, rain and sleet at low levels will leave surfaces wet and allow ice to form where untreated.” Dan Holley, deputy chief forecaster for the Met Office, said: “An Atlantic frontal system is likely to move across parts of central and southern UK through the weekend. With milder, moisture-laden air engaging with the cold conditions already in place this may bring a spell of snow in some areas, before possibly turning back to rain in the south.
“At this stage there is a fair amount of uncertainty over exactly which areas will see disruptive snow, with parts of Wales, northern England and the Midlands most likely to see some impacts. Here we could see 5cm or more in quite a few areas, and perhaps as much as 20-30cm over high ground, including Wales and the Pennines.
“Coupled with strengthening winds this could lead to drifting, making travelling conditions difficult over higher-level routes in particular.”