Storm Bert expected to wreak havoc across the UK as 16 weather warnings issued by the Met Office

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Storm Bert has hit the UK in dramatic fashion with snow closing roads and strong rains and winds expected to cause further problems.

Weather warnings and 16 flood alerts have into effect across the UK. Rail companies urged passengers to avoid travelling to certain areas and some warned of reduced services while National Highways issued a “severe weather alert” for snow affecting Yorkshire and north-east England between 5am and 3pm on Saturday.

In Yorkshire, the A628 remained closed overnight in both directions between the A616 Hollingworth and the A57 Flouch due to snow, National Highways announced. The A66 Trans-Pennine route was closed between the A6 and the M6 (J40).

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An amber alert for heavy snow and ice is in force between 7am and 5pm on Saturday in areas across Scotland, where 10-20cm is likely on ground above 200 metres and potentially as much as 20-40cm on hills above 400 metres.

Storm Bert will bring heavy snow to parts of the UK this weekend.Storm Bert will bring heavy snow to parts of the UK this weekend.
Storm Bert will bring heavy snow to parts of the UK this weekend.

The weather warning covers parts of Angus, Perth and Kinross, Stirlingshire, Aberdeenshire and some of the Highlands, Argyll and Bute, the Borders, Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire. Perth and Kinross Council cancelled its annual Perth Christmas lights switch-on event over safety and travel concerns.

A second amber warning will be in place between 7am and midday on Saturday covering parts of Yorkshire and the north east of England. Yellow wind, rain and snow warnings cover much of the rest of the UK on Saturday and into Sunday.

Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern said the storm’s arrival was following a “relatively quiet” night on Friday with temperatures at around minus 4C across parts of Scotland and minus 1C in eastern England.

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“We’ll see two to four hours of heavy snow across parts of northern England and Scotland during Saturday morning,” Mr McGivern said. “This snow will accumulate thick and fast, with five to 10cm at lower levels and as much as 20 to 40cm over hills accompanied by strong winds.

“You can expect blizzards over hills across northern England and Scotland, atrocious conditions for travelling and going over the hills and also the risk of power interruptions because of snow build up on power lines.

“So all in all, a multiple hazard event as we go into Saturday morning.”

He said temperatures will rise quickly as the storm brings with it milder air from the Atlantic, resulting in a “rapid thaw” by the afternoon.

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“The melting snow and the heavy rain could lead to localised flooding in places but the wettest spots would be Wales, in the south west, particularly over south-facing hills, that’s where we’re likely to see gales and certainly the risk of impacts from wind as well as from rain,” the meteorologist added.

The weather forecast for the UK looks rather bleak this weekend.The weather forecast for the UK looks rather bleak this weekend.
The weather forecast for the UK looks rather bleak this weekend.

A wind warning also covers coastal areas of southern England from 3pm until 9pm on Saturday.

South Western Rail (SWR) asked passengers to only travel west of Basingstoke if their journeys are essential.

SWR announced services between Exeter and London Waterloo will start and finish at Basingstoke, that journey times will be longer between Salisbury and Exeter and between Bournemouth and Weymouth due to speed restrictions, and services across its network will start later than usual on Sunday and Monday because of safety inspections.

UK airports are not anticipating disruption.

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A spokesperson for Birmingham Airport said: “Whilst we are not anticipating disruption at this time… we will continue to keep a close eye on the situation, as Storm Bert moves in.”

Manchester Airport said “we’re expecting bad weather but aren’t anticipating any disruption” while Newcastle Airport said it will be operating as normal overnight with teams “fully prepared to respond should conditions deteriorate”.

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