The Met Office has significantly expanded a yellow weather warning for snow and ice, now bringing major Midlands cities including Birmingham directly into the alert zone for Sunday, January 4.
Warning Area Extended Eastwards
Forecasters have pushed the boundary of the warning further east to encompass a larger portion of the West Midlands. The updated alert now covers Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and Stoke-on-Trent, areas initially outside its scope.
The warning is set to be active for a substantial 21-hour period, from 3pm on Sunday afternoon through to 12 noon on Monday. This timing raises concerns for the Monday morning commute, marking the start of the first regular working week after the Christmas holidays.
Timeline of Expected Snowfall
According to Met Office weather maps, the initial flurries are anticipated to reach north Wales from around 4pm today. These snow showers are then forecast to drift inland across Wales and towards the West Midlands as the evening progresses.
Snow is predicted to reach Stoke-on-Trent from approximately 7pm, with other parts of the newly included region seeing conditions deteriorate through Sunday night.
Potential Impacts and Travel Disruption
The Met Office has warned that while not every location will see settling snow, accumulations of 1-3cm are possible in many places by Monday morning. There is also a risk that 5-8cm could build up in a few spots, particularly across inland and higher areas of Wales.
A key hazard accompanying the snow will be widespread icy stretches forming on untreated surfaces. The combination is likely to lead to difficult travelling conditions, with road and rail networks potentially affected for the Monday morning rush hour.
In its warning, the Met Office stated: "Snow showers are expected to push further inland across Wales, parts of north-west England, the West Midlands and south-west England during Sunday evening. Along windward coasts, some rain and sleet is likely, but inland showers will fall as snow."
Residents across the West Midlands are advised to stay updated with the latest forecasts and travel information, and to prepare for potentially hazardous conditions during the Sunday evening and Monday morning period.
