UK snow forecast: Met Office issues snow warnings for south east England - full list

Met Office has issued snow and ice warnings
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Wintry showers are expected to create icy conditions across all four nations of the UK from Sunday evening, forecasters have warned.

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for ice covering Northern Ireland, southern Scotland, northern England, northern Wales and the Midlands, while hundreds of flood warnings are in place across the UK. The alert, which warns that “wintry showers” will lead to “difficult driving conditions” due to slippery surfaces, is in place from 6pm on Sunday until 10am on Monday.

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The Met Office has also issued a lengthy yellow warning for snow and ice across northern Scotland from 2pm on Sunday through to 10am on Wednesday. Another warning for snow across parts of south-east England has been issued by the forecaster for Monday, lasting from 2am until 8am.

Here is all you need to know:

What have the Met Office said?

Residents are urged to take care as there may be some icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths, and some roads and railways are likely to be affected, with longer journey times.

Met Office meteorologist Craig Snell warned those driving to work on Monday to leave plenty of time for their journeys, as the worst of the ice is expected to be during rush hour.

“We are starting to see the cold weather coming in from the Arctic, so we have now started to issue warnings for snow and ice across the UK,” he said.

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“We have got a couple of areas we are keeping a very close eye on – we could well see some wintry showers develop tonight across the middle band of the UK, with a risk of snow on high ground and slippery surfaces on lower areas.

“This could be a problem during rush hour, it could cause a few problems on the roads. The risk of flooding is still there.”

Mr Snell added that while “cold and wintry weather” is set to “dominate the UK” through the week, the weekend looks milder.

“Compared to the cold spell in December, it doesn’t look like it’s going to last as long,” he said.

Children play in the snow in Hartley Wintney, in Hampshire, 40 miles west of London, on February 1, 2019. - Snowfall and icy conditions were expected Friday to cause travel disruption after temperatures overnight reached as low as minus 15.4C. An amber snow warning has been issued for an area west of London including parts of Oxfordshire, Hampshire and Buckinghamshire, after as much as 14cm of snow fell on south-west England. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP)        (Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)Children play in the snow in Hartley Wintney, in Hampshire, 40 miles west of London, on February 1, 2019. - Snowfall and icy conditions were expected Friday to cause travel disruption after temperatures overnight reached as low as minus 15.4C. An amber snow warning has been issued for an area west of London including parts of Oxfordshire, Hampshire and Buckinghamshire, after as much as 14cm of snow fell on south-west England. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP)        (Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Children play in the snow in Hartley Wintney, in Hampshire, 40 miles west of London, on February 1, 2019. - Snowfall and icy conditions were expected Friday to cause travel disruption after temperatures overnight reached as low as minus 15.4C. An amber snow warning has been issued for an area west of London including parts of Oxfordshire, Hampshire and Buckinghamshire, after as much as 14cm of snow fell on south-west England. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP) (Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Where is the snow warning for England?

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The Met Office’s snow warning is in place for parts of the south east of England. It covers the following areas:

  • Brighton and Hove
  • East Sussex
  • Kent
  • Medway
  • Surrey
  • West Sussex

What do the cold weather alerts mean?

A series of cold weather warnings have been issued for England. The Met Office has put a level one alert for the south west and the south east. Level two warnings, meaning “alert and readiness”, is in place for the rest of the country.

There is a 70% probability of severe cold weather, icy conditions or heavy snow between 6pm on Sunday (15 January) and 9am on Thursday (19 January) in parts of England. “This weather could increase the health risks to vulnerable patients and disrupt the delivery of services,” the Met Office said.

“Please refer to the national Cold Weather Plan and your trust’s emergency plan for appropriate preventive action.” Forecasters said northerly winds will develop through Sunday and into Monday, bringing colder air across much of the country.

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“This will affect northern areas initially on Sunday, before moving south to affect most areas during Monday. Showers will be more frequent in western areas and fewer in eastern areas, but becoming increasingly wintry for all areas through Monday.

“Occasionally strong winds will exacerbate the cold feel. These alerts may be updated on Monday once confidence has improved in the timing of the cold weather and areas to be included.” The Met Office triggers a yellow cold weather alert as soon as the risk is 60% or above for any of the thresholds to be breached.

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