Shropshire braced for snow and ice as cold weather is forecast

The met office says there is a lot of uncertainty about how long the cold weather will stay with us. An area of high pressure is developing over Scandinavia, allowing cold air from the Baltic and western Russia to move towards the UK. At the same time milder air and Atlantic weather systems are trying to push in from the west, leaving the UK as the battle ground where they meet.

Today, daytime temperatures in Shropshire are set to be around 3C. Some rain is possible this morning with brighter spells this afternoon. Sunday looks drier and brighter but still very cold, although brighter through the day. On Monday Shropshire is expected to see its first snowfall of the year with accumulations of around 5cm likely over low ground with perhaps 10cm or more over higher ground.

Andy Page, Met Office Chief Forecaster, said: "All parts of the UK will see cold weather setting in over the weekend.

“With a battle developing between the cold air in the east and mild air pushing in from the west, no one should be surprised to see sleet or snow over the weekend and early next week.”

Icy surfaces will be an additional hazard for pedestrians and motorists, particularly during Monday morning.

Anna Higgins, Communications Manager at the Safer Roads Partnership said "With sleet, snow and low temperatures forecast over the next few days, roads could get very slippery and motorists will need to exercise caution. It takes much longer for vehicles to slow down on wet, icy or snowy roads. Keep well back from the vehicle in front and allow plenty of time to slow down.

"Drivers are advised to look as far ahead as possible to anticipate what other road users might be planning to do, especially at junctions and roundabouts. Braking sharply on a slippery road will only make the situation worse and could cause the brakes to lock and the car to skid."

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