The Met Office said in a warning this morning that heavy snow would “spread northeastwards” over the weekend, creating maximum accumulations of up to 40cm (15 inches)
Met Office weather forecasters have issued a rare amber alert ahead of the landfall of Storm Bert, which is expected to cause UK-wide chaos this coming weekend.
Bert, which was named by the agency today, will touch down in just a few days, with heavy winds, severe rain and blizzards speeding towards the country. The storms brought by the furious system will compound the already chaotic conditions that have developed over the last few days, with temperatures plummeting below zero and snow cascading over every home nation.
Among the risks posed by Bert this weekend are freezing rain, heavy snow and wind which constitute a “danger to life” for those living in Scotland, where the storm is expected to be its most ferocious. The Met Office has warned people not to drive during the conditions, with widespread delays also on the horizon.
The agency said in its amber warning for Saturday, November 23 that snowfall would spread northeastwards from Scotland, causing massive snow pileups over high ground. The warning states: “Heavy snow will spread northeastwards on Saturday morning, giving significant accumulations in many areas.
“Accumulations of 10 to 20cm are likely on ground typically above 200m, with potentially as much as 20 to 40cm on hills above 400m. Snow will eventually revert to rain during Saturday afternoon, but may be preceded by a short spell of freezing rain in places adding to the ice risk.
“Strengthening winds will lead to drifting of lying snow, with difficult travelling conditions likely on higher level routes, and the risk of interruptions to power supplies. A fairly rapid thaw of lying snow is then likely on Saturday night as milder air moves in.”
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