Heavy snow and strong winds of up to 70 mph are expected to hit parts of the UK on Friday, Dec. 29, with forecasters warning of power cuts and travel disruption.
Temperatures plummeted to -12C at Loch Glascarnoch in the Scottish Highlands last night, while much of the UK experienced sub-zero temperatures.
An amber weather warning for snow is in place across northern England and the southern Pennines.
Highways England has issued a “snow alert” for those driving in the north of the country on Friday.
Latest imagery shows it's a wet ?️ start across much of the south, with #snow ❄️feeding into parts of northern England and southern Scotland. Stay #weatheraware pic.twitter.com/TLfp43w4Jl
— Met Office (@metoffice) December 29, 2017
Chris Chadwick, Emergency Planning Officer at Highways England, urged drivers to pack a snow kit, including blankets, food, water, and a shovel “if they really need to travel.”
Snowfall up to 10 cm is expected in parts of northern England with potentially 15 cm falling on higher ground.
A separate yellow warning for snow is in place for parts of Scotland and the northern half of England. The Met Office also issued yellow warnings for ice and strong winds, with a chance of hail and thunder.
Quick tips for those in the north of England and Scotland who will see more #snow and #ice overnight. Take it easy on the roads tomorrow and listen to your local weather forecasts. #winterready @metoffice pic.twitter.com/aJlH40oSQw
— RAC Press Team (@RACPress) December 28, 2017
The Met Office warned there may be power cuts, with travel delays likely.
Roads in parts of Manchester, including Snake Pass in Glossop, and the Cat and Fiddle in Macclesfield have been closed due to snow, according to the Manchester Evening News.
Met Office forecaster Charles Powell said there could be some “pretty nasty travel conditions,” according to the Telegraph.
Sat on runway @glasgowairport for an hour….honeymoon delayed slightly..@easyJet any chance of a coffee?? pic.twitter.com/3DwwAG4pKD
— charliebrown? (@gjac69) December 29, 2017
The RAC warned drivers to be prepared with a winter breakdown kit. They said they expected to attend a breakdown every 10 seconds on Friday.
RAC’s traffic spokesman Rod Dennis told the Sun: “Some northern regions are set to see further snowfall in the early hours, making driving conditions very difficult if not impossible where the heaviest snowfall occurs.
“Drivers in the areas likely to be affected should consider delaying their journeys if they are not absolutely essential, as some disruption is likely.”
@UKWX_ snowing here in Acomb, York YO26 ……. ☃️??? pic.twitter.com/vJRbd2H4CW
— ★ Robina ★ (@xRVSx) December 29, 2017
