Taking that extra time could help prevent the ‘risk of accidents’
People are being urged to follow a five-minute rule for the next few days as serious weather is set to cause disruption across most of the UK. It comes as temperatures drop, and experts have predicted up to 5cm of snow in some areas.
The Met Office has issued advice for people living in the affected areas where the threat of ice and snow is more likely during the cold snap. The alert covers much of England, Scotland, Wales, as well as all of Northern Ireland.
A spokesperson said: “Keep yourself and your family safe when it is icy. Plan to leave the house at least five minutes earlier than normal. Not needing to rush reduces your risk of accidents, slips, and falls.”
They added: “If you need to make a journey on foot, try to use pavements along main roads which are likely to be less slippery. Similarly, if cycling, try and stick to main roads which are more likely to have been treated.
“Give yourself the best chance of avoiding delays by checking road conditions if driving, or bus and train timetables, and amending your travel plans if necessary. Be prepared for weather warnings to change: when a weather warning is issued, the Met Office recommends staying up to date with the weather forecast in your area.”
Today, Tuesday, November 18, the ice and snow warnings are concentrated in the north of the UK, including parts of Scotland and creeping into the north of England in areas such as Carlisle.
The risk gets stronger on Wednesday, November 19, as the weather forecasters extend the warnings across Northern Ireland and parts of England, including Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Nottingham, and as far south as Plymouth and Turo.
Much of Wales is affected on Wednesday, with only parts of the Isle of Anglesey and north-west Gwynedd not covered by the warning. On Thursday, November 20, the risk (at the time of writing) is lower and only has alerts in place for Aberdeen, Inverness, Newcastle upon Tyne, Hull, Haverfordwest, Plymouth and Turo.
Met Office chief forecaster Neil Armstrong said: “Cold Arctic air from the north is firmly in charge of the UK’s weather, bringing the first notable cold snap of this autumn and giving an early taste of winter weather.
“As a result, winter hazards are likely through the next few days, with snow and ice a particular hazard, and the coldest conditions likely on Wednesday and Thursday. Wintry showers will affect areas exposed to the brisk northerly wind, in particular Northern Ireland, southwest Wales, southwest England, northeast England and across the northern half of Scotland.
“Whilst not all places will see lying snow, where showers are most frequent, accumulations of 2-5 cm will be possible. On higher ground in Scotland, 15-20 cm could accumulate, and potentially as much as 15-25 cm over the North York Moors and Yorkshire Wolds.”
