London (Parliament Politics Magzine) – The UK Met Office has issued a warning that it could be time to get out the woolly jumpers, as an Arctic blast brings the danger of plunging temperatures, sleet, snow and ice.
As reported by the Standard, the unusually mild and dry weather conditions of November so far are to be replaced by more typical patterns. A yellow weather alerting for northern Scotland kicks in at 4 pm on Sunday, advancing to southern Scotland and northern England on Monday evening into Tuesday.
How will the arctic blast impact travel conditions across the UK?
The Met Office said:
“Woolly jumpers at the ready! Temperatures are set to drop next week with wintry weather on the way.”
The Met Office meteorologist Ellie Glaisyer expressed it could be “quite a chilly start to the day” for many on Sunday and plenty of showers were predicted to hit, especially across northern parts of Scotland in the afternoon.
Sunday’s yellow weather alerting from 4 pm to 11 am Monday is for northern Scotland, including the Orkney and Shetland islands. It alerts of wintry showers with hail, sleet and some snow leading to slippery textures and difficult travel conditions. Snowfalls of up to 10cm are possible on high ground by Monday morning. On lower ground, the snow could increase to between 1cm and 3cm.
Moreover, a second weather caution for southern Scotland, northern England, the East Midlands and north Wales is in standing from 7 pm on Monday until 10 am on Tuesday. Forecasters anticipate rain, sleet and snow, with snowfall of up to 20cm on ground beyond 300 metres. The forecast said:
“There is a small chance of snow settling at lower levels, where 5cm to 10cm would prove much more disruptive, but this remains very uncertain.”
The wintry weather will indicate there is a danger of power cuts, travel trouble and icy surfaces, as well as a “slight chance” that rural communities will be cut off. Drivers have been urged to allow more time for trips and make sure they have the winter conditions in their cars:
“Warm clothing, food, water, a blanket, a torch, ice scraper/de-icer, a warning triangle, high visibility vest and an in-car phone charger.”
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) gave yellow cold weather warnings for large parts of England, extending from Sunday evening to Monday. It surrounded the east and west Midlands upwards.