Gritters came out in force to cover roads with salt last night as much of the United Kingdom was given a severe weather warning by the Met Office of snow, strong winds and ice.
Advertisement
A spokeswoman for the Exeter-based Met Office said a yellow warning for weather had been issued which comes into force at 5pm and expires at 3pm tomorrow.
A yellow “be aware” warning for wind has been issued for Wales, with gusts expected to reach up to 70mph (113kmh).
A spokesman said: “It will still be cold tomorrow but perhaps not as cold as it feels on Saturday because the winds will be just that little bit lighter”.
Southern areas of the United Kingdom will see highs of 6C today, but parts of Scotland will struggle to rise above freezing, with temperatures across the country lower than normal for this time of year.
Wintry showers will develop during the day after a mainly dry and sunny start, and increasingly cold air over the Derbyshire hills will see temperatures of around seven degrees, and zero degrees centigrade this evening.
The Met Office said winds are likely to pick up in places from 17:00 GMT on Friday, especially near coasts. A few centimetres is expected in hilly areas, but at lower levels any settling is likely to be temporary.
Snow is largely unexpected for Saturday night but there is an ice risk for Sunday morning as a result of the night’s frosty conditions.
Strong northerly winds accompanied by rain and sheet – possibly even snow – are set to hit Counties Antrim, Londonderry and Down overnight on Friday and into Saturday.
The Met Office has also warned that road users may experience difficulties or travel disruption because of the weather predicted.
Advertisement
The likelihood of sufficient snow for sledging and snowmen is limited, however.
