The Met Office has issued a significant new weather alert, placing 93 distinct areas across the United Kingdom under a yellow weather warning for a period of ten hours on Wednesday, January 28. This advisory highlights the risk of patchy ice forming on untreated surfaces, which is anticipated to lead to some travel disruption and poses a safety hazard to the public.
Details of the Weather Warning
The warning, which is set to be in effect from the early hours of Wednesday morning, follows a period of recent wet weather across the nation. The Met Office has indicated that clearing skies on Tuesday night will allow temperatures to plummet below freezing shortly after midnight and into Wednesday morning. This rapid temperature drop is expected to cause icy patches to develop on roads, pavements, and cycle paths that have not been treated.
Residents in the affected areas are advised to exercise caution, as the conditions may result in injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces. The Met Office statement explicitly warns of the potential for some disruption to travel networks due to these hazardous conditions.
Expert Analysis and Broader Forecast
James Madden, a forecaster from Exacta Weather, provided additional context, noting that the current stormy conditions involving wind, rain, and snow were predicted well in advance. Looking beyond Wednesday, Madden suggests that the weather will become largely drier for many regions on Wednesday and into Thursday, with exceptions for possible wintry showers or snow across higher ground in eastern Scotland and parts of north-east England.
However, the respite may be short-lived. From later Thursday and into Friday, low pressure and weather fronts are forecast to bring strengthening winds and bands of precipitation, primarily rain, moving from the south-west and tracking eastwards. Some of this precipitation has the potential to turn wintry in places, particularly from the early hours of Friday.
Regarding snow risks for Friday, Madden indicates a sporadic, low to moderate chance across parts of central England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. A more moderate to higher risk of snow is anticipated for parts of northern England and Scotland once again.
Full List of Affected Areas
The 10-hour yellow weather warning for ice impacts a wide array of local authorities and regions. The comprehensive list of areas under the advisory is as follows:
- Clackmannanshire
- Falkirk
- Fife
- Perth and Kinross
- Stirling
- Derby
- Derbyshire
- Leicester
- Leicestershire
- Lincolnshire
- Northamptonshire
- Nottingham
- Nottinghamshire
- Rutland
- Bedford
- Cambridgeshire
- Central Bedfordshire
- Essex
- Hertfordshire
- Luton
- Norfolk
- Peterborough
- Southend-on-Sea
- Suffolk
- Thurrock
- Buckinghamshire
- East Sussex
- Greater London
- Kent
- Medway
- Milton Keynes
- Oxfordshire
- Darlington
- Durham
- Gateshead
- Hartlepool
- Middlesbrough
- Newcastle upon Tyne
- Northumberland
- Redcar and Cleveland
- Stockton-on-Tees
- Blackburn with Darwen
- Cheshire East
- Cheshire West and Chester
- Cumbria
- Greater Manchester
- Halton
- Lancashire
- Merseyside
- Warrington
- Dumfries and Galloway
- East Lothian
- Edinburgh
- Midlothian Council
- Scottish Borders
- West Lothian
- Argyll and Bute
- East Ayrshire
- East Dunbartonshire
- East Renfrewshire
- Glasgow
- North Lanarkshire
- Renfrewshire
- South Lanarkshire
- West Dunbartonshire
- Blaenau Gwent
- Caerphilly
- Carmarthenshire
- Conwy
- Denbighshire
- Flintshire
- Gwynedd
- Merthyr Tydfil
- Neath Port Talbot
- Powys
- Rhondda Cynon Taf
- 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
This extensive warning underscores the widespread nature of the impending icy conditions. The public is urged to stay informed through official Met Office updates and to take necessary precautions when travelling or walking outdoors during the warning period.
