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.
Alzheimer’s Society issues warning
The Alzheimer’s Society warned that cold weather can be “particularly challenging” for people with dementia.
“Colder temperatures can be difficult for a person with dementia to adjust to, and they may not always be able to communicate that they are cold – or they may not even recognise it themselves,” the charity said.
It urged people to do the following:
- Make sure the person is dressed appropriately - layers are key;
- Keep the room warm;
- Encourage regular movement;
- Make the most of natural daylight as decreased sunlight can cause someone with dementia to feel increased anxiety, confusion, and even depression;
- Keep to your routine as a big change in routine can cause someone with dementia to become confused or agitated;
- Be careful in icy weather. Perception issues can make it difficult for someone with dementia to see icy patches;
- Make sure they’re eating and drinking regularly.
Tips for driving in icy conditions
It is safer not to drive in heavy snow and icy conditions but if you absolutely must drive, keep yourself and others safe by:
- Using dipped headlights
- Accelerate gently, use low revs and change to higher gears as quickly as possible
- Starting in second gear will help with wheel slip
- Maintain a safe and steady speed. Keep your distance from other vehicles
- Keep a constant speed up hills. Leave plenty of room between cars
- Use a low gear to go down hill and try to avoid braking unless necessary
- Steer into skids. Do not take your hands of the wheel or slam on the brakes
What weather warnings are in place now?
There are currently three yellow weather warnings in place across the country.
The first is a snow and ice warning in place for northern and western Scotland which expires on Thursday at midday before the region is subject to another warning on Saturday and Sunday.
There are also two yellow ice warnings in place until Thursday at 10am for most of Scotland, the Midlands, the east, north-east and north-west of England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Yorkshire.
Full list of weather warnings
Wednesday to Thursday midday: A snow and ice warning is in place for northern and parts of western Scotland
Wednesday to Thursday at 10am: An ice warning is in place for most of Scotland, the Midlands, the east, north-east and north-west of England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Yorkshire.
Thursday at 5am to 3pm: A snow warning is in place for South West England.
Saturday morning to Sunday at 9am: A yellow snow and rain warning is in place for the north-east and north-west England, the West Midlands, Yorkshire, and much of Scotland.
Saturday at 6am to Sunday at 6am: A yellow warning for rain is place for south-west England and much of Wales.
Met Office five day forecast
This Evening and Tonight:
Another cold night to come with sleet and snow showers continuing in exposed areas. The risk of icy stretches developing for many. A widespread frost forming under clear spells, although cloudier in the far southwest later.
Thursday:
A chilly day for most on Thursday with sunshine and wintry showers in exposed areas. Cloudier in the southwest with outbreaks of rain and snow moving through. Rather breezy.
Outlook for Friday to Sunday:
Sunshine and wintry showers continue on Friday, with frost and ice overnight. Turning widely wet and windy on Saturday, with some hill snow initially, and blustery showers follow on Sunday.
Met Office warns Brits to expect a cold night ahead
The Met Office has warned Brits to wrap up warm tonight as the country faces another night of freezing temperatures.
Posting to social media, the forecasters wrote: “We’re ready for another chilly night.”
It urged people to reach for their fluffy socks, extra blankets and wooly hats to stay warm.
Pictured: Snow blankets the UK
What weather warnings have been issued?
On Wednesday and Thursday morning, up to 10cm of snow is expected in some parts of north-west Scotland - where a yellow weather warning is in place - with higher ground seeing up to 20cm.
A warning for ice is also in place until Thursday morning in most of Scotland, the East and West Midlands, the east, north-east and north-west of England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Yorkshire.
From 5am to 3pm on Thursday, parts of south-west England will also be subject to a yellow Met Office warning for snow, with 5cm to 10cm predicted in higher parts of Dartmoor.
While there is a brief break from weather warnings on Friday, forecasted heavy snow followed by rain on Saturday night means there will be more warnings covering large swathes of the country.
The Met Office has warned residents in northern England, Yorkshire, the West Midlands, and much of Scotland that there is a chance floodwater could pose danger to life, some rural communities could become cut off, and there may be travel disruption.
The warning for snow and rain is in place from 4am on Saturday until 9am on Sunday.
New yellow warnings for rain have also been published from Saturday to Sunday morning in south-west England and Wales.
Drivers facing ‘some of the worst road conditions’ as snowfall continues
Insurance and roadside assistance company RAC said on Wednesday that drivers are suddenly facing “some of the worst road conditions we’ve seen all year”, as North Yorkshire Police reported the A169 Sleights to Whitby, A171 Fylingdales, A171 north of Whitby and A174 Whitby towards Guisborough were all impassable.
A sharp rise in vehicle breakdowns has also been reported as drivers’ batteries failed on Wednesday morning due to cold weather, the RAC said.
The AA has also predicted “a major increase in (its) workload” due to sub-zero temperatures, snow and ice, and it urged drivers to check forecasts before travelling and to do so with “extreme caution” in the hardest-hit areas.
RAC Breakdown spokeswoman, Alice Simpson said: “The first taste of winter means drivers are suddenly contending with the some of the worst road conditions we’ve seen all year.
“With freezing temperatures already causing disruption in the east and north of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and snow showers now affecting regions further south, we advise motorists to plan well as ice forms on untreated surfaces.”
Heavy snow and rain to pose danger to life on Saturday night
Heavy snow is expected on Saturday followed by a “rapid thaw” and rain on Saturday night in north-east and north-west England, the West Midlands, Yorkshire, and much of Scotland.
The Met Office issued a yellow warning for the weather event and said there is a chance floodwater could cause danger to life, some rural communities could become cut off, and there may be travel disruption.
New yellow warnings for rain have also been published from Saturday to Sunday morning in south-west England and Wales.
Met Office spokesperson Andrea Bishop said: “A deep area of low pressure is expected to bring a spell of prolonged and, at times, heavy rainfall across a large part of the UK this weekend.
“Across south-west England, rain is expected to develop during Saturday morning with heavier rain likely later in the day and overnight into early Sunday morning.
“Fifty to 75mm of rain is expected to fall fairly widely during this time with a chance that some places over Dartmoor could see 100-125mm. Strong southerly winds will accompany the heavy rain and may locally exacerbate impacts.”
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