Weather warning for Shropshire upped to amber as Storm Arwen blows in
Shropshire and Mid Wales have been put on amber weather warnings with high winds and the possibility of snow on high ground.
The Met Office has upgraded Saturday's warning for the region from yellow, as Storm Arwen blows down from the north.
Heavy blustery showers, and some dogged the county on Friday with temperatures reaching 8C.
Overnight the rain is expected to spread southwards, turning wintry over high ground with frosts and sub-zero temperatures. There are expected to be strong gusts of wind particularly in the west of the region, forecasters have said.
The amber warning is in place from midnight until 9am, after which a yellow weather warning for wind is in place until 6pm.
Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service has also issued a warning to motorists.
On Twitter the service said: "#StormArwen is on her way - Shropshire now has an Amber weather warning for wind tomorrow.
"Take extra care if you're out and about over the next couple of days and refer to local weather reports for up-to-date information."
National Trust properties including Attingham Park, Chirk Castle and Erddig Hall have have said they will be closed on Saturday for the safety of visitors, staff and volunteers.
"We anticipate that the forecasted wind speeds will lead to trees and branches down across the estate affecting visitor access and safety. Once safe to do so on Saturday our team will begin clearing the site to reopen on Sunday," a spokesman for Attingham Park said.
"We’re sorry for the disappointment this will cause, ticket holders will be contacted directly, all booked tickets will be cancelled, and any payments made will be automatically refunded."
A spokesman for Chirk Castle said: "Due to the large number of veteran trees on the estate and along the visitor route there is a danger of branches falling in high winds."
Across the UK the Met Office has upgraded the Storm Arwen weather warnings to include a 'rare' red warning of wind.
It warns that high winds associated with the storm will bring damage and travel disruption to parts of north-east Scotland and north-east England.
The warning, which is valid from 3pm on Friday until 2am on Saturday, warns people to expect "flying debris resulting in danger to life", and potential damage to buildings and homes, with roofs blown off and power lines brought down.
The amber warning for Shropshire and into Wales warns of possible damage to trees and building such as tiles on roofs and potential transport problems and power cuts.
