Snow and ice warnings have been issued across large parts of the UK.
Amber warning for snow as wintry weather continues
UK households are being urged to buy six essential food items before a 17-hour snowstorm strikes this week. The Met Office has issued two yellow weather warnings for snow and ice on Thursday and Friday affecting Scotland, parts of North East England, East Midlands, North West England, West Midalnds, and Yorkshire and Humber. The warnings are in force from 7pm on Thursday evening until 12pm on Friday, with households warned around 2cm of snow is possible on lower ground by Friday morning, while some areas could see up to 10cm.
The national forecaster said snow showers are expected to start to fall to low levels through Thursday evening and overnight and temperatures will fall quickly, which is likely to lead to ice on untreated surfaces. Households in the affected areas are warning to expect delays on roads and railways, with longer journey times by road, bus and train, and to be wary of icy patches on untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths.
Multiple weather warnings for snow and ice have been issued across the UK (Image: Getty)
The Met Office said: “Following seemingly incessant rainfall for many locations in the UK, there is a brief respite as colder conditions will temporarily take charge.
“An Arctic Maritime air mass will gradually introduce colder conditions from the north of Scotland southwards during the rest of the working week. This shift in conditions will be accompanied by outbreaks of rain on Thursday and early Friday, turning increasingly to sleet and snow initially over higher levels but then to lower elevations too for a time.”
Ahead of the wintry weather, households are urged to allow extra time for journeys and to ensure they have essentials in cars in the event of delays, including warm clothing, food, water, a torch and an in-car phone charger.
As well as torches and batteries, it’s also recommended that people make sure their home is well stocked with six essential food items ready for the snowstorm.
Direct Energy says households should stock up on non-perishable snacks and supplies in the event that you aren’t able to get to your local supermarket, or you are affected by a power outage, so you don’t go hungry while waiting for the bad weather to pass.
According to the energy firm, households should make sure they have these six key items ahead of a snowstorm:
- Bottled water
- Bread
- Milk
- tinned goods, especially warming foods like soups and stews
- Snack foods, such as crisps, crackers and cookies in sealed packages
- Cereal and granola
- Dried pasta and jars of sauce
The firm said: “After heavy snowfall or blizzard conditions, you could find yourself snowed in for days. Getting cut off from your local grocery store could be made worse by a prolonged power outage, which would leave you with just a few hours to enjoy the remaining contents of your fridge safely.
“But if you stock your pantry with filling shelf-stable foods, you won’t go hungry while waiting for the snow to be cleared.”
Listed are the 57 UK areas covered by a yellow weather warning for snow and ice on Thursday and Friday, between 7pm and 12pm:
Central, Tayside & Fife
- Angus
- Clackmannanshire
- Dundee
- Falkirk
- Fife
- Perth and Kinross
- Stirling
Grampian
- Aberdeen
- Aberdeenshire
- Moray
Highlands & Eilean Siar
- Na h-Eileanan Siar
- Highland
Orkney & Shetland
- Orkney Islands
- Shetland Islands
SW Scotland, Lothian Borders
- Dumfries and Galloway
- East Lothian
- Edinburgh
- Midlothian Council
- Scottish Borders
- West Lothian
Strathclyde
- Argyll and Bute
- East Ayrshire
- East Dunbartonshire
- East Renfrewshire
- Glasgow
- Inverclyde
- North Ayrshire
- North Lanarkshire
- Renfrewshire
- South Ayrshire
- South Lanarkshire
- West Dunbartonshire
East Midlands
- Derbyshire
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
- Cheshire East
- Cumbria
- Greater Manchester
- Lancashire
SW Scotland, Lothian Borders
- Dumfries and Galloway
- Scottish Borders
West Midlands
- Staffordshire
Yorkshire & Humber
- East Riding of Yorkshire
- North Yorkshire
- South Yorkshire
- West Yorkshire
- York
