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Wales Online
Wales Online
National
Cathy Owen

Met Office snow warning issued for Wales this weekend

The Met Office has issued a snow and ice warning for a large part of Wales. The forecasting service says that a "band of snow" will move across the country on Sunday.

It comes after Wales experienced its coldest night since December 2010 when temperatures dropped to -12C, but there has been no widespread for snow.

Snow is expected to fall first in Wales, with as much as 8cm across mountain in Wales.

The yellow warning, which is in place from 3am on Sunday until 9pm says: "A band of snow is expected to move northeast across the UK on Sunday, in most places lasting two to four hours before turning to rain. Places in the southwest of the warning area will be affected first.

"Temporary accumulations of 1-3cm to low levels, and perhaps locally 5-8cm across the Welsh mountains, with any snow starting to melt readily from late morning. While parts of the northeast of England and Scotland will probably stay dry until late morning, the feature becomes slower moving here allowing for larger accumulations. Temporary accumulations of 1-3 cm are likely at low levels, with 5-10 cm more typical across upland areas and isolated 10-15 cm on high ground north of the Central Belt. Once rain becomes established, all lying snow will melt rapidly. In addition to the snow and ice, strong winds are expected across all parts, with gales or severe gales mainly across high ground.

"This will lead to blizzard conditions in some areas for a time. A brief period of freezing rain is also possible, most likely to impact areas from the Pennines northwards, with a consequent risk of ice accretion on structures and power lines."

(Met Office)

The areas covered by Wales are:

  • Blaenau Gwent
  • Caerphilly
  • Carmarthenshire
  • Ceredigion
  • Conwy
  • Denbighshire
  • Flintshire
  • Gwynedd
  • Merthyr Tydfil
  • Monmouthshire
  • Powys
  • Rhondda Cynon Taf
  • Wrexham.

After the current cold snap, temperatures are set to gradually rise over the weekend with high of 15C in Wales on Monday.

BBC Wales weather presenter Derek Brockway said: "Gradually turning milder during Sunday with rain and stronger winds. Any snow in the morning soon turning to rain. 14 or 15°C in places on Monday.

"Temperatures drop closer to average midweek onwards but not as cold as it is now. 13°C in Wrexham next Monday. 5°C on Christmas Eve."

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