Easter weekend weather: Snow and sleet showers spark yellow warning
Snow flurries and sleet have been forecast this Bank Holiday weekend – with the latest cold snap lasting well into next week.
The Met Office has predicted that ‘heavy’ snow could fall on Monday morning.
Latest weather forecast
This has sparked a yellow weather warning to be put in place across the region – although forecasters have said the flurries will turn lighter as the day progresses.
No repeat of the Beast from the East’s Arctic conditions and travel chaos seen at the beginning of month is expected – despite warnings earlier this week.
Meanwhile, the weather today and tomorrow will be a mixed bag with rain and sleet in some places, but drier weather in others.
The Met Office said today that it will be ‘cloudy for most with outbreaks of rain and perhaps sleet over the hills’.
“It will tend to become drier later on in the day, but stay breezy and feel cold.
“Most places will have a drier but rather cloudy Easter Day.
“Heavy rain and some snow will move north into Easter Monday, with showers following.
“The weather will stay cold and unsettled through Tuesday.”
Meteorologist Martin Bowles said: “In terms of the forecast, Monday has clearly changed and there is now more of a risk of snowfall.
“Model runs have changed from earlier in the week and there could now be quite a bit of snow in some places; the latest models have picked up a strong risk for snow.
“The general cold weather is expected to last past the Easter weekend and then into next week.”
Highways bosses have urged people to look ahead to make sure that their journeys are as smooth as possible – given the extra traffic on the road network and varied weather forecast.
The RAC has predicted motorists, many heading off on Easter breaks, would make 19 million journeys over the course of the Bank Holiday weekend.
Highways England’s customer service director, Melanie Clarke, said: “Easter is always a busy period on the road network and we’d urge all motorists to make sure they do their bit to check their vehicle is roadworthy before setting off over this period.”
Public Health England has put out a level two ‘alert and readiness’ cold weather health caution – rare at this time of year – until Tuesday.
The Midlands was pummelled by the Beast from the East – and then the Beast from the East part 2 – at the start of March.
At least 10 people died in the UK as a result of the freezing weather, which saw blizzard conditions, rural communities cut off and temperatures falling as low as -10C.
