The Met Office has issued two rare amber weather warnings for Thursday, forecasting heavy snow and ice across the UK. The first warning covers large areas of north Wales and Shropshire from 8 am to 3 pm, while the second affects the Peak District and southern Pennines from noon to 6 pm.
Higher regions could see up to 25cm (10 inches) of snow, with strong easterly winds likely to cause drifting.
Initially, yellow weather warnings were issued for Thursday’s Arctic cold blast, but these were upgraded on Wednesday. The Met Office warns that rural areas may be cut off due to snow, with potential power outages and loss of mobile phone coverage.
Travel advisories recommend avoiding driving in these conditions. For essential trips, alternative transport options are advised.
Amber warnings in effect: Heavy snow could reach 25cm in northern and central regions.Additionally, updated yellow snow warnings are in effect from 6 am Thursday to 6 am Friday for northern England, north Wales, and parts of the Midlands, including cities like Wolverhampton, Leicester, Nottingham, and Derby. Northern Ireland also faces a yellow snow and ice warning from 10 am Thursday to 6 am Friday.
Southern England and south Wales will experience heavy rain on Thursday, with a yellow rain warning from 2 am Thursday to 6 am Friday. This could lead to flooding in some areas, with up to 25mm of rain expected and up to 45mm in higher regions.
Drivers are advised to reduce speed, increase following distances, and use main roads where possible. The AA’s Chris Wood cautions that cold weather could lead to vehicle breakdowns, such as flat batteries and faulty wipers.
This weather shift follows a period of unseasonably mild temperatures, with Chertsey in Surrey reaching 14.3°C on Tuesday.
The UK has seen an unusually stormy autumn and winter, with a record number of named storms this season. The predicted snow is attributed to a blast of Arctic air and a clash of air masses.