THE Met Office has warned that some towns could be “cut off” with snow set to blanket ice-ravaged Britain this weekend.
Temperatures are set to plunge to -3C tonight – as another Beast from the East looms for next week.
The Met Office has issued two severe weather warnings for heavy snow and ice, with one in place until 8pm this evening.
Tonight’s warning covers the East Midlands, Derbyshire, North East England, Durham and Yorkshire & Humber.
Widespread travel disruption is expected, with trains and flights likely to be cancelled.
There are also fears that power cuts could plunge thousands of Brits into darkness, with mobile phone coverage also potentially affected by extreme weather conditions.
The warning adds: “Sleet and snow will continue for the next few hours, heavy at times, with some places seeing a further 3-7 cm of snow, on top of what has already fallen.”
‘ICE HAZARD’
Meanwhile, a second weather warning for snow and ice, covering nearly all of England, runs until midnight tonight.
It reads: “Patchy rain, sleet and snow is expected to fall onto frozen surfaces leading to icy stretches forming.
“In addition, a more persistent spell of rain and hill snow is likely to move south across northern England and north Wales during Friday morning.
“This then gradually moving into parts of central and southwest England and southeast Wales on Friday.
“Whilst ice is expected to be the most widespread hazard, snow is likely in places too.”
According to the Met Office, snow is expected to fall this weekend over the Pennines, North York Moors, the high ground of Wales and parts of South West England, which could see 2-5cm of snow.
The forecaster adds: “Elsewhere, whilst some snowfall is possible, accumulations are likely to be slight and temporary.”
“Freezing fog patches may prove an additional hazard with areas of visibility less than 100 m at times.”
