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UK weather: More snow and ice due before cold snap ends

PA Media Cold-water swimmers walk across a snow-covered beach at Cullercoats Bay on the North-East coastPA Media
Cold water swimmers walk across a snow covered beach at Cullercoats Bay on the North East coast

More snow is set to fall across the UK this weekend, bringing further travel disruption in already icy conditions.

Warnings are in place for snow and ice in the majority of Scotland, Wales, and much of England for Sunday.

A fresh yellow warning for ice was issued for south west England on Saturday morning.

Heavy snow is causing major problems for roads and air travel in central Scotland. But the cold snap is due to end later on Sunday.

The Met Office's Ellie Wilson said there could be 8cm of snow in Wales and 15cm in the north of Scotland over the weekend.

"Because of the current cold conditions that we've seen, any of that snowfall will be falling onto cold frozen surfaces so there is a risk of ice here."

The Met Office's weather warnings include yellow alerts for:

  • Icy conditions in the Highlands, Orkney and Shetland until 08:00 on Sunday
  • Ice in the East and West Midlands, north west England, south west England, Yorkshire and Humber, Wales, London and southern parts of England until 14:00 on Sunday
  • Snow and ice across much of Scotland, north east England, north west England, the West Midlands and Yorkshire and Humber until 21:00 on Sunday
  • Heavy, persistent rain in London and south east England, south west England and Wales, starting at 18:00 on Sunday and ending at 06:00 on Tuesday

There is also an amber alert for ice in the East Midlands, West Midlands, north east England, north west England and Yorkshire and Humber ending at 20:00 on Sunday.

A level three cold weather alert was earlier issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for all of England until midnight on Sunday.

PA Media Frozen dykes surround the St Thomas Becket church on Romney Marsh in KentPA Media
Frozen dykes surround the St Thomas Becket church on Romney Marsh in Kent

But Ms Wilson added that snow would be followed by some rain on Sunday afternoon.

"A band of rain and snow is going to be moving north-eastwards across the country through Sunday.

"It's bringing milder air behind it, but that milder air bumps into the cold air that's where we're seeing where the snow is likely to fall."

She went on to say the warmer air would end the recent wintry conditions "for the time being".

BBC forecaster Nick Miller also warned of difficult travel conditions before the rain starts to thaw the ice.

He said: "A change to milder weather will begin on Sunday but as that process takes place many places will see a spell of snow before it turns to rain.

"Temperatures will continue to rise on Sunday night and on Monday, highs of 10C to 15C across the UK can be expected."

PA Media Snowfall in the Shetland IslandsPA Media
Heavy snowfall in the Shetland Islands after Scotland was hit by freezing temperatures this week

Severe weather in recent days has already led to serious disruption and damage.

Engineers from Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks Distribution have been working to restore power to about 2,400 properties which remain off supply in Voe, Brae, Yell and the West Mainland on Shetland following extreme conditions across Scotland.

The Scottish government declared a major incident on Tuesday after thousands of homes lost power in Shetland when heavy snow brought down electricity lines.

As of Saturday morning, around 700 homes were still without power.

The adverse weather conditions on the roads and railways come as rail strike action also takes place across the country.

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