Snow warning: Met Office issues amber warning for snow and freezing rain in England and Wales this weekend

An amber warning for snow and freezing rain covering most of Wales and central England is in place from 6pm on Saturday to midday on Sunday, the Met Office said.

The second warning for snow, covering most of northern England, has been issued from 9pm on Saturday to midnight on Sunday.

Up to 30cm of snowfall is expected locally in both warning areas, with 3 to 7cm likely in other areas. People have also been warned of “hazardous travel conditions.”

It comes after a series of yellow weather warnings were already issued across the UK by the forecaster between Friday and Monday.

A statement from the Met Office reads: “Snow will become persistent and locally heavy as it pushes south to north across the warning area. As well as snow, a period of freezing rain is also likely bringing some hazardous travel conditions, before milder air follows across all areas by Sunday morning.

“Whilst there is some uncertainty in details, 3-7 cm of snow is likely for much of the warning area, with locally 15-30 cm for the higher ground of Wales and the southern Pennines. Freezing rain could lead to ice accretion in places, especially parts of Wales, before the milder air leads to a rapid thaw of snow and ice in the south of the warning area through Sunday.”