The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning due to an unexpected cold snap, as snow has fallen in areas of western England.
The warning encompassed a region extending from southern Bristol to northern Worcester, and also includes the areas of Hereford to the west and Swindon to the east.
Temperatures stayed slightly above freezing at just over 0°C (32°F) throughout the night.
The sudden change in weather seemed to have caught people off guard, and several drivers shared footage on X of the unexpected heavy snow on highways in western England.
Someone mentioned, “The heavy snow on M5/M4 this morning came as a surprise. Please be cautious if you’re heading out!”
The Met Office released an alert at 6am on Saturday warning of a short duration of snow that could result in difficult driving conditions in some areas.
The warning, which remained in effect until 10am, forecasted the possibility of rain turning into a light coating of snow, with a potential accumulation of 3cm (1.2in) in certain areas. The Met Office suggested that drivers should only travel in heavy snow and icy conditions if absolutely necessary.
The National Highways in the south-west released a report accompanied by photos from traffic cameras capturing snow on two motorways.
The organization advised: “If you are traveling in the area this morning, please be prepared for delays as we have experienced a heavy snowfall on our transportation routes. Keep in mind that salting does not always prevent snow accumulation on roads.”
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“A snow warning from the Met Office, denoted by the color yellow, will remain effective until 10:00.”
Some areas in Wiltshire experienced snowfall last night, causing a warning for the motorway network. National Highways recommended that drivers give themselves additional time when traveling on Saturday.
Parts of northern and western Wiltshire, including Chippenham, Melksham, Warminster, and Salisbury, have also experienced snowfall.
Source: theguardian.com
