The Met Office warned sleet and snow is expected to continue this afternoon and evening as they issued the rare amber alert – as much as four inches (10cm) of snow is expected in the affected region
A rare amber warning for snow has been issued across South West England, with residents urged not to drive for their own safety.
The Met Office warned sleet and snow is expected to continue this afternoon and evening with accumulations of 2-5cm on high ground above 150m, and up to four inches, (10cm) above about 250m, leading to travel disruption in the region. The sleet and snow will ease from the west during the first part of Wednesday night, it added.
Residents in the area have been warned not to driven unless absolutely necessary. Those who must drive are being urged to keep a distance from other vehicles and maintain a safe and steady speed. The forecaster said: “It is safer not to drive in these conditions, but if you need to make an essential journey, consider alternative forms of transport, to keep you and others safe.”
“If you must drive, do this more safely by: using dipped headlights; accelerating gently, using low revs and changing to higher gears as quickly as possible; starting in second gear to help with wheel slip; maintaining a safe and steady speed, keeping distance from other vehicles; using a low gear to go downhill, avoiding braking unless necessary; steering into skids, not taking your hands of the wheel, and avoiding slamming on brakes.”
The spell of snow will cause travel disruption across Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset on Wednesday afternoon and evening, with the warning in place from around 2:30pm up until 9pm this evening. Anyone travelling through these areas are being warned of travel delays on roads, with vehicles and passengers likely to become stranded.
Power cuts are also likely and other services, such as mobile phone coverage, may be affected. The Met Office says some rural communities may be cut off and delays and cancellations to rail and air travel are to be expected.
A 15-hour long snow warning is in place across London, the South East and South West today, with forecasters predicting the capital will turn white as early as this afternoon. The weather system pushing south is also expected to spark further travel chaos with disruption to rail, road and air travel in affected areas.
In Northern Ireland, a yellow warning for snow and ice is in force across County Antrim, County Fermanagh, County Londonderry and County Tyrone. Residents in these areas should brace for travel disruption and the possibility of injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces, the Met Office said.
It added: “Showers of rain and sleet near coasts, and snow inland, will continue to affect the north and west of Northern Ireland this evening, overnight and into Thursday morning. As surfaces fall below freezing, this will lead to some icy stretches on untreated surfaces, while a few cm of fresh snow could affect some areas, mainly places above about 100 metres.”
