A yellow weather warning for ice across the north west, including Greater Manchester, has been extended until noon on Sunday (December 11) by the Met Office. The warning came into force from 4pm yesterday (Thursday) and was initially meant to last until Saturday, but the icy conditions are now expected to last longer.
People are being warned to take care with slips and falls more likely, while icy patches on untreated roads and cycle paths can lead to travel disruption. A rare Level 3 Cold Weather Alert was issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), which is in place until Friday December 16.
It’s expected to remain cold in Greater Manchester into the weekend and next week, with snow showers a possibility. Temperatures are expected to drop to a low of 1C overnight on Friday, with light snow forecast on Saturday morning - so we could potentially wake up to wintery scenes.
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The mercury will only reach a high of 3C by Saturday afternoon, although it will feel colder thanks to the wind chill. Sunday will feel particularly cold as a high of only 1C is predicted during the day, with overnight temperatures plummeting to -3C.
Into next week there’s no sign of the cold spell ending, with Monday experiencing freezing conditions throughout the day after a foggy start. Temperatures are not expected to rise above 0C, and it will drop to -2C by the evening.
It’s a similar situation on Tuesday with mist forecast in the morning, and a very cold feels like temperature of -5C. Although remaining cold, Wednesday and Thursday may see some sunny spells and bright conditions during the day.
Met Office Chief Meteorologist, Steve Willington, said: “It is staying cold with daytime temperatures remaining only a few degrees above freezing in many places over the coming days and overnight temperatures dropping to -10°C or lower in isolated spots. Although below average, these temperatures are not that unusual for this time of year.
“There is still a risk we could see some freezing fog in places particularly southern England, especially for Sunday and Monday mornings. And there is also a small risk of a band of sleet or snow moving into the far Southeast on Sunday. If this happens it could potentially bring some disruption, especially to rush hour on Monday. A warning has been issued.”
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