UK weather live: Storm Bert to bring 70mph winds and batter Britain with heavy snow, Met Office warns
Parts of the country are bracing for power cuts as charities and energy companies warn homeowners to stay warm as temperatures drop to freezing
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Your support makes all the difference.Snow, heavy rain and strong winds are set to batter large parts of the UK over the next few days, stranding some communities as temperatures plummet ahead of severe weather the Met Office has named Storm Bert.
Amber and yellow warnings have been issued for dangerous weather, bringing risks of road closures, and rail and flight delays, with charities and energy companies telling households to prepare.
Met Office chief meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said Scotland should expect to see snow showers over the next few days, “with this reaching lower levels at times and bringing the potential for some travel disruption.”
“Overnight temperatures will drop below zero fairly widely over the next few days, which has resulted in some ice warnings, with further warnings likely through this week,” he said.
Commuters can expect more travel chaos with National Rail warning of four days of disruption as heavy snow is expected to continue falling over the weekend.
UKHSA issues amber and yellow Cold Health Alerts
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a number of amber and yellow Cold Health Alerts covering the whole of England.
These are issued when forecasted weather is likely to cause significant impacts across health and social care services, particularly for those above the age of 65.
Amber alers have been issued for the East and West Midlands, Yorkshire, the North East and the North West, while a yellow alert has been issued for London and the southern counties.
Met Office warn of heavy snow and up to 100mm of rainfall
Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Dan Holley said: “Storm Bert marks a shift to much milder air and wintry hazards will gradually diminish through the weekend, but heavy snowfall is expected across parts of northern England and Scotland for a time on Saturday, especially over higher ground, and warnings are in place.”
“Heavy rain through Saturday and Sunday, especially in southern and western parts of the UK, will also bring impacts for some with a number of warnings in place. We expect 50-75 mm of rainfall quite widely within the warning areas, but in excess of 100 mm is possible over high ground in parts of Wales and southwest England.”
“In addition, rapid melting of lying snow over the weekend and periods of strong winds are likely to exacerbate impacts and bring the potential for travel disruption, as well as flooding for some.”
Storm Bert to hit the UK this weekend, Met Office says
The Met Office has named the latest storm to hit the UK, with Storm Bert expected to bring heavy rain, strong winds and disruptive snow over the weekend.
Wind gusts are expected to reach between 40-70mph while heavy snow is predicted in the northern regions on Saturday, with heavy rain in the west.
Can and should you walk your dogs in the snow?
Temperatures are dropping across the UK with snow weather warnings in place for parts of the country.
Temperatures dropped to minus 7.8C in Tulloch Bridge, Scotland, in the early hours of Monday, which is the lowest temperature the UK has seen since last winter.
Cold temperatures, ice and further snow feature on the forecast for the coming days in what the Met Office deemed is the country’s “first taste of winter”.
With this news, many will be thinking about how this chilly weather may affect our pets.
It’s important to prepare our dogs, as well as ourselves, for this forecast.
Read the full article here:
Can and should you walk your dogs in the snow?
Tips for how to look after your pets during the cold weather
In pictures: Snow falls across the UK on Wednesday
Poor weather conditions sees replacement buses suspended
Poor weather conditions have forced South Western railway to suspend their replacement buses between Axminster and Exeter St Davids.
The disruption is expected to continue until 2pm on Thursday.
How to win the heating wars at home when the weather’s not on your side
Have you been keeping an eye on the forecast? October was mostly mild, and the weather has continued in that vein in the first third of November. Perhaps you tricked-or-treated in shorts, or watched fireworks in a singlet, so balmy has it felt at times.
There may, however, be a modest change on the way, with daytime temperatures struggling to get into double figures over the next couple of weeks for much of the UK. The big question is: will it be cold enough to justify putting the central heating on?
The thermostat is one of life’s primary domestic battlegrounds; and the split between those who reach for a jumper, rather than turning on a radiator, can be almost Shakespearean in its bitterness. “To thine own self be true,” may be a decent motto, but telling a chilly person to follow your lead by putting on a second sweater doesn’t always go down well.
Read the full explainer here:
In the thermostat wars I’ve learnt to chill in unseasonable warmth
Central heating is the final front in the family battleground – but should dads and husbands use the balmy weather to make a last stand? Will Gore discusses the right time to shift the dial
Snow, sleet and rain to bring disruption on Thursday
Met Office chief meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said: “A northerly airflow will continue to feed snow showers into Scotland over the next few days, with this reaching lower levels at times and bringing the potential for some travel disruption.
“Overnight temperatures will drop below zero fairly widely over the next few days, which has resulted in some ice warnings, with further warnings likely through this week.
“On Thursday, a mixture of snow, sleet and rain is likely to affect the southwest which could potentially bring disruption. It’s likely high ground in the area will see snow, with a mixture of conditions likely at lower levels. 2-5cm of snow is possible in places at lower levels, with around 10cm possible over higher parts of Dartmoor.”
Cold weather payments triggered in UK snow – check if you’re eligible and when to expect money
The first cold weather payments of 2024 have been triggered as snow blankets neighbourhoods across the UK and temperatures plunge.
Up to 15cm of snow is expected to fall in some parts of the country as the Met Office issues several yellow weather alerts for snow and ice.
To help support people during cold snaps like these, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) runs the cold weather payment scheme for qualifying households.
Read the full article here:
Cold Weather Payments triggered in UK snow – check if you’re eligible
Snow has begun to fall across the UK
Met Office’s five day weather forecast
Today:
A frosty and perhaps icy start for most on Thursday with sunshine and wintry showers in areas exposed to the northwesterly wind. Cloudier in the southwest with outbreaks of rain and hill snow moving through. Rather breezy.
Tonight:
Wintry and blustery showers continue in the north of the UK, but drier with clear skies further south, and a widespread frost developing away from any coasts.
Friday:
Another frosty and in places icy start on Friday with sunshine and wintry showers continuing in exposed areas. Showers and winds gradually easing through the afternoon.
Outlook for Saturday to Monday:
Turning wet and windy for all on Saturday, with some hill snow initially, and blustery showers on Sunday and Monday. Milder on Saturday and Sunday but cooler again into Monday.
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