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UK faces more snow over weekend UK faces more snow over the course of the weekend
(about 4 hours later)
Weather warnings are still in place for large parts of the country with more snow forecast and temperatures expected to plummet. People living in areas already blanketed with snow should brace themselves for more and avoid travel where possible, forecasters have said.
Freezing temperatures which caused problems for commuters on Friday are likely to continue, forecasters say, after snow dumps arrived in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and parts of the Midlands. Between 10cm and 20cm of snow is possible for some locations and an amber warning has been issued for large swaths of the UK on Sunday.
A yellow warning for snow and ice remains in place for these areas until 6pm on Saturday. While northern Scotland is the worst affected area, heavy snow is also likely over parts of Wales, the Midlands and northern and eastern England on Sunday.
Forecasters say 10-20cm of snow is possible for some locations; the worst areas affected will be mainly in northern Scotland. Northern Ireland, north Wales and the north-west Midlands are also likely to see snow flurries in yellow warning areas. Other areas of northern England, East Anglia and parts of the south Midlands are subject to a yellow warning and could get as much as 5cm of snow. Elsewhere, a yellow wind warning has been issued for much of south Wales and the whole of southern England, with gusts of 50mph to 60mph expected.
Rachel Adshead, meteorologist at the Met Office, said: “Storm Caroline has sort of moved away and what we’ve got is a cold area which the storm has left. Throughout the warning area there has been snow accumulations, but it’s not just in Scotland; we’ve also had quite a bit of snow in Northern Ireland down in the Liverpool Bay area and we’ve also had quite a few snow showers across Wales.” The Met Office is advising people to keep an eye on the forecast and in the areas with an amber warning, travel should be avoided owing to the dangerous conditions on the roads.
Aviemore in the Highlands, Antrim in Northern Ireland, Kinmel Bay in Wales, Leeds and areas to the west of the Pennines also reported coverings of snow and these conditions are expected to continue. Meteorologist Luke Miall said: “In some respects it is good that heavy snow is falling on a Sunday in terms of impact for commuters as it won’t be too much of an issue, but for those who have unavoidable travel plans, it could cause disruption to road, rail and air.”
The Met office said icy surfaces were also likely to be an additional hazard on Saturday morning. The travel disruption is likely to continue into Monday despite the weather system responsible for the snow clearing away over the course of Sunday night.
After school closures and power cuts in Scotland on Friday, the heaviest and most frequent snow showers are predicted to be in the north-east of the country during Saturday. Miall said: “There will be a legacy of a lot of snow on the ground in large parts of the country, and the risk of ice, black ice and compacted snow, which could cause slippery conditions and disruption for commuters on Monday morning.”
About 18,000 homes across Scotland were affected by power cuts, according to Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks, but power was returned to the majority of affected homes by Friday evening. A yellow warning for snow and ice remained in place for large parts of the UK throughout Saturday. After school closures and power cuts in Scotland on Friday, the heaviest and most frequent snow showers are predicted to be in the north-east of the country during Saturday.
Freezing temperatures as low as -10C (14F) are likely overnight and are predicted to remain into next week. The early part of the week is likely to be dry and sunny but strong winds and showers are expected for the remainder.
The snow-covered landscapes and opportunities for sledging and snowman building are unlikely to last for long, Miall said. “There will be a slow thaw of the snow. As is always the case in the UK it doesn’t really last for very many days. People should enjoy it while it lasts but shouldn’t risk their lives going places they don’t need to.”
About 18,000 homes across Scotland were affected by power cuts on Friday, according to Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks, but power was restored to the majority of affected homes by the evening.
Dale Cargill, its director of customer operations, said: “Our network generally stood up well to Storm Caroline and I would like to thank all our customers who experienced a power cut for their patience as we battled against the elements to restore their power.Dale Cargill, its director of customer operations, said: “Our network generally stood up well to Storm Caroline and I would like to thank all our customers who experienced a power cut for their patience as we battled against the elements to restore their power.
“We have now returned to business as usual but we will continue to monitor conditions and are well prepared to respond to whatever other challenges the Scottish weather has in store for us this winter.”“We have now returned to business as usual but we will continue to monitor conditions and are well prepared to respond to whatever other challenges the Scottish weather has in store for us this winter.”
Freezing temperatures as low as -10C (14F) are likely overnight and are predicted to remain into next week with forecasters warning Sunday could bring further heavy snow showers. Highways England said driving would be the “most hazardous in the heavy and disruptive snowfall,” which will fall during the early morning in the Midlands and by dawn in southern parts of the north of England.
Highways England advised road users intending to travel through the West Midlands and north-west England to check the forecast and road conditions before travelling. Council gritting teams are on standby to cover roads across the country. The agency advised road users intending to travel through those areas to check the forecast and road conditions before travelling. Those who can’t avoid travel were advised to pack blankets and warm clothes. .