Millions brace for road chaos as -7C chill brings ice and up to 12INS of snow to swathes of Britain – plan your journey
MILLIONS of Brits are bracing for road chaos this week as a -7°C chill brings ice and up to 12 inches of snow.
Fresh weather warnings have been issued by the Met Office for ice ahead of a blast of snow over the weekend.
Difficult driving conditions should be expected particularly within areas under a yellow weather warning.
Allowing extra time is also advised with delays, diversions or hampered conditions likely for road users.
The A939 between Cockbridge and Tomintoul in Aberdeenshire is closed due to snow.
The yellow warning indicates there could be icy surfaces in northern and western Scotland, the north west of England and Northern Ireland.
It will remain in place from 5pm on Thursday until 10am on Friday morning and could make for difficult travelling conditions, the forecaster warned.
A snow and ice warning is also in place covering parts of northern Scotland between 4pm on Thursday and 10am on Friday.
Scattered wintry showers will be replaced by a longer spell of rain and sleet on Thursday night particularly across western Scotland and Northern Ireland.
As temperatures dip below freezing, this will lead to a risk of ice on untreated surfaces.
A yellow warning is in place from noon on Saturday until 9am on Monday and covers all regions of England other than the South West, the majority of Wales and parts of southern Scotland.
About 5cm of snow is expected widely across the Midlands, Wales and northern England with as much as 20-30cm over high ground in Wales and the Pennines.
Strong winds could lead to snow drifts in some areas and freezing rain as temperatures creep up could add to the risk of ice.
Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said: “At the moment we’ve issued a very large snow warning for Saturday until Monday but it doesn’t mean that everywhere within that warning could see snow, it’s just a heads-up there could be some impacts.”
Snowy, wintry weather can cause delays and make driving conditions dangerous.
Keep yourself and others safe by planning your route and giving yourself extra time for your journey.
What if you need to drive somewhere?
Icy, wintry weather can cause delays and make driving conditions dangerous, follow these few simple steps to prepare before journeys:
- Plan your route.
- Check for delays and road closures.
- Leave more time to prepare and check your car before setting off.
- Check wipers, tyres and screen wash.
- Pack essentials in your car (warm clothing, food, drink, blanket, torch).
- Take a fully charged mobile phone
- Pack an in-car charger.
How to drive safely on ice
It is safer not to drive in icy conditions, but if you absolutely must drive, keep yourself and others safe by:
- Looking well ahead for potential hazards and keep your speed down.
- Accelerating, braking, steering and changing gear as smoothly as possible to reduce the risk of a skid.
- Using a higher gear may be more appropriate to help grip on packed ice.
- Using a higher gear helps manage engine power making it easier to find traction.
Check for road closures or delays to public transport and amend plans if necessary.
If driving, make sure you have some essentials in your car in the event of any delays (e.g. warm clothing, food, water, a blanket, a torch, ice scraper/de icer, a warning triangle, high visibility vest and an in-car phone charger).
Be prepared for weather warnings to change quickly: when a weather warning is issued the Met Office recommends staying up to date with the weather forecast in your area.