Snow and ice expected to hit parts of UK this weekend

Snow and ice are expected to hit parts of the UK this weekend as bands of rain move in from the west, the Met Office has warned.

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Western Scotland, Northern Ireland, north-west England and north Wales are forecast to experience frosty conditions as downpours continue into Sunday morning.

Flood alerts are in place across England and Wales, with the Environment Agency issuing 11 in England and six in Wales, as well as one flood warning in Walsden, West Yorkshire. Most of England’s flood alerts are in the country’s south-west and north-west, with just one in the East of England, in Norfolk.

Video: Met Office weather for the week ahead from December 20 – Dry, turning mild and wet with some snow in the north (Daily Record)

Met Office weather for the week ahead from December 20 – Dry, turning mild and wet with some snow in the north

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Flood alerts mean flooding is possible, while a warning signifies that flooding is expected. In the event of an alert, people are advised to prepare a bag that includes medicines and insurance documents and monitor for a change to warning, while those living in a flood warning zone are to turn off gas, water and electricity and move their family, pets, belongings and car to safety.

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Areas in the Scottish Highlands could see the mercury plummet to -4C on Saturday night, but most parts of the UK are expected to hover around a slightly warmer average of 2C. As well as in northern Scotland, snow is likely to fall in the Pennines and Snowdonia before the weekend is up.

Met Office meteorologist Jonathan Vautrey said: “There are no official ice warnings out at the moment that we have issued but we are sending out a message in general that there is an isolated risk that any wet surfaces along with these showers could lead to icy stretches. This is mainly due to the showers that will be feeding in to the west.”

Vautrey said most of the ice will probably have melted away before Sunday morning. “Most of the ice risk will have abated before people are getting out and about,” he said.