The UK braces for four days of snow chaos as 130 areas receive travel warnings and potential power cut advisories. Yellow weather warnings for snow, rain and wind from the Met Office kick in from today, stretching every day until Thursday, January 2.
Scotland will be the first to face these snow warnings today and tomorrow; then, on New Year’s Day, the wintry conditions are set to spread south into England, accompanied by blustery winds and torrential rain across other parts of England, Wales and Scotland. From 9am on New Year’s Day, the weather warning is in effect until 6am the following day, January 2.
The Met Office issues caution stating: “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 add that there’s a slight chance of power cuts which might affect services such as mobile phone coverage. Furthermore, they warn: “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.”
The office advises the public to “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.”, reports the Express.
They suggest to better cope with potential power cuts by being prepared and considering the gathering of torches and batteries, a mobile phone power pack, and other essential items.
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The Met Office has issued a stark warning: “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.”
It also alerts that a separate snow advisory for New Year’s Day covers the north of England, affecting Newcastle, Manchester, Leeds, York, Sheffield, Liverpool, and Middlesbrough, along with Lancaster and Blackpool, stating: “A band of rain in association with a deep low pressure system moving in from the west pushes east on Wednesday.”
Adding, “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.”
Additionally, an extensive list of 130 areas has been pinpointed as potentially vulnerable to power cuts on New Year’s Day, including Dumfries and Galloway, East Lothian, Edinburgh, and several other regions extending to 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, West Yorkshire, York.