The Met Office today issued an amber weather warning covering parts of the north west with heavy snow forecast to 'cause significant disruption' tomorrow.
The warning says heavy snow is due from 3pm on Thursday and it covers a large area of northern England east of Greater Manchester which includes the Pennines. The alert covers parts of Oldham, Tameside and Rochdale.
The alert, which lasts until noon on Friday, states: "Heavy snow is likely to cause significant disruption on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning."
READ MORE: LIVE as snow starts falling over parts of Greater Manchester amid weather warnings
It continues that people should expect delays on the roads with potential for some vehicles and passengers to become stranded.
It also warns there could be delays and cancellations of flights and rail services while there is a a 'good chance' some rural communities could be cut off.
The alert adds that power cuts are 'likely' and other services, for instance mobile phone coverage, may also be affected.
Met Office Chief Meteorologist, Matthew Lehnert, said: “The boundary between milder and colder air will slowly move north through Wednesday and overnight, moving the chances of snow further north with it. Snow will have settled quite widely in central parts of the UK as we move into Thursday morning leaving tricky conditions for the morning travel period. It will be another very cold night, especially under clear skies in Scotland where temperatures could get down to -15°C again tonight.
“An Amber warning for snow has been issued for the high ground running north in the centre of northern England as snow redevelops through the course of Thursday and persist until early Friday. Here we could see up to 40cm of snow accompanied by strong winds causing blizzard conditions.”
Conditions are forecast to turn colder this week, with snow and sleet already falling in some parts of the country on Wednesday (March 8). The wintry weather has been attributed to an arctic blast, which is expected to bring more snow and ice throughout the UK, the Met Office said.
A number of national severe warnings for snow and ice were issued, with the Met Office saying further warnings, or updates to the current warnings, are “very likely”. Dozens of flights were disrupted in the south of England amid snowfall across the nation following the coldest night of the year on Tuesday (March 7).
The Met Office has said temperatures at Kinbrace in the Highlands dropped to this year’s low of minus 15.4C overnight – the lowest March temperature recorded in more than a decade. Meanwhile Bristol Airport temporarily closed for “snow clearing operations” with morning flights cancelled, and delays are also affecting passengers at other airports in the south of England.
National Highways has also urged drivers in the West Midlands and the East of England not to travel unless their journey is essential. Forecasters have predicted night-time sub-zero temperatures in all four UK nations until at least Friday, with snow sweeping the nation in the coming days.
Met Office spokesperson Nicola Maxey said the minus 15.4C temperature recorded on Tuesday night meant it was the coldest in March since 2010. Ms Maxey said an “Arctic maritime air” drifting over the UK from the north is causing the widespread snowfall and it could generate “blizzard conditions” on Thursday.
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