Wales braced for heavy snow and freezing rain amid amber weather warnings

Wales to be hit by heavy snow and freezing rain, which could lead to disruption this weekend amid two weather warnings.

Stranded vehicles on the roads, delayed or cancelled rail and air travel and power cuts are all likely as the country grapples with a week-long spell of wintry conditions, the Met Office said.

There is also a “good chance” that rural communities could be cut off thanks to the weather, with up to 30cm of snowfall expected in some areas.

Warnings

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

The warning area can expect to see 3cm to 7cm of snowfall widely, while snow may mix with rain at times in lower-lying areas, the forecaster said.

Three separate yellow weather warnings for snow and ice will be in force for most areas of the UK, covering different periods of time, until Monday afternoon.

Drivers in high-altitude areas were warned to take particular care, with Gwent Police issuing a warning for black ice on Friday.

Met Office chief forecaster Jason Kelly said some “significant accumulations” of snow are possible in parts of Wales, and the additional factor of strengthening winds could lead to drifting of lying snow.

He continued: “There is a risk of freezing rain across parts of the Midlands and northern England, but especially Wales, adding to the risk of ice and leading to some treacherous conditions in places.

“As the super-cooled rain droplets hit the surface they instantly freeze, covering everything in a layer of ice, making it extremely dangerous.”

Death

It comes after Lincolnshire Police said it was investigating whether a crash near Grantham which left a seven-month-old baby dead on Thursday night was linked to icy conditions.

A yellow Honda Jazz car left the southbound carriageway on the A1 shortly after 10.50pm before it hit a tree and returned to the road.

Amber alerts were issued on Thursday and will run until January 8, meaning a rise in deaths is likely, the agency said.

Milder air will briefly cover some southern areas during the weekend before a new northerly flow allows colder conditions to return across the UK next week, the Met Office said.

Deputy chief forecaster Dan Holley said temperatures would remain below average with some areas struggling to get above freezing for several days.

Further weather warnings could be issued for the start of next week.