The Met Office has issued a significant new weather warning, forecasting snow and ice for dozens of regions across the UK this weekend. A 15-hour yellow alert is now in place, set to begin at midnight on Friday night and remain active until 3pm on Saturday, January 10.
Areas and Timings of the Winter Weather Alert
The warning covers a vast swathe of the country, with 56 specific local authorities advised to prepare for disruptive conditions. The affected regions span from central and eastern Scotland down through northern England and into parts of the Midlands and Yorkshire.
Scattered wintry showers are expected to feed inland from the North Sea from Friday afternoon, continuing overnight into Saturday morning. The Met Office emphasises that while not every location will see snow, accumulations are likely in places, particularly over higher ground.
Expected Snow Accumulations and Hazards
Forecasters predict that hills above 100 metres could see snow depths of 2-5 cm. More significantly, parts of central and eastern Scotland on terrain above 300 metres may experience accumulations of 10-15 cm.
The Met Office states that ice will pose a more widespread risk than the snow itself. As temperatures fall widely below freezing overnight, especially away from coastal areas, untreated surfaces will become hazardous.
The key impacts highlighted by the forecaster include:
- Some roads and railways are likely to be affected, leading to longer journey times for road, bus and train services.
- Injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces are possible.
- Icy patches will form on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths.
Full List of Affected Local Authorities
The yellow warning for snow and ice applies to the following regions:
Scotland: Angus, Clackmannanshire, Dundee, Falkirk, Fife, Perth and Kinross, Stirling, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray, Highland, Dumfries and Galloway, East Lothian, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scottish Borders, West Lothian, Argyll and Bute, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire.
North East England: Darlington, Durham, Gateshead, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, Northumberland, Redcar and Cleveland, South Tyneside, Stockton-on-Tees, Sunderland.
North West England: Cumbria, Lancashire.
Yorkshire & The Humber: East Riding of Yorkshire, Kingston upon Hull, North East Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, York.
East Midlands: Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Rutland.
The Met Office advises the public to stay up to date with the latest forecast for their local area, as weather warnings can be updated or changed. Planning ahead for potential travel disruption on Saturday is strongly recommended.
