An amber weather warning for snow and ice has been issued for Leicestershire. The Met Office warning level has been upgraded from its previous yellow warning with three to seven centimetres of snow now “likely for much” of the warning area.
The Met Office said however that there was some “uncertainty in details”. Snow is likely to be “persistent” and “locally heavy” as it pushes northwards from the south of the UK.
As well as snow a “period of freezing rain” is forecast to bring “hazardous” travel conditions. The warning comes into force at 6pm tomorrow (Saturday, January 4) and will run until 12pm on Sunday (January 5).
READ MORE: Hour-by-hour forecast as Leicestershire faces freezing temperatures ahead of snow
A map of the amber warning
(Image: The Met Office)
The Met Office advised against travelling in the above conditions but said if you need to make an essential journey to “consider alternative forms of transport”. It said that travel delays were “likely” and that some roads would be closed.
There is also a “good chance” that people may experience power cuts during the weather warning period and that rural communities could become “cut off”.
A Met Office spokesperson said that today (Friday, January 3) will see a “cold, frosty morning followed by a largely fine day with sunny spells.” They added that isolated wintry showers were possible, mainly in the west of the county.
Today’s temperatures will peak at just 4C between 2pm and 3pm, though westerly winds will make it feel significantly colder. Temperatures will remain similar tomorrow (Saturday, January 4) before conditions turn milder throughout the day on Sunday (January 5). Temperatures will hit 7C at around 9pm, the Met Office is forecasting.
We are now bringing you the latest updates on WhatsApp first