The North East looks set for more treacherous conditions as freezing fog and snow showers are forecast for the rest of the week.
The Met Office issued a 'yellow weather warning' to the region earlier this week, forming part of a number that are in place across the country for wintry hazards as temperatures plummeted.
Now, according to their forecasts, the leading meteorologists have predicted plummeting temperatures as low as -7 °C, alongside freezing fog and wintry showers. It is expected the freezing temperatures will cause major issues for public transport and on the roads.
Read more: Met Office gives long range weather forecast for Christmas and New Year in the North East
The Met Office has issued the following forecast for today (December 14) in the North East: "Very cold, with any inland freezing fog only slowly clearing. Further wintry showers moving southwards mainly affecting coastal districts and eastern areas.
"Elsewhere turning brighter with sunny spells developing, especially well inland. Maximum temperature 1 °C."
Temperatures then look set to plummet as we head into the evening with a minimum temperature of -7 °C forecast with sharp frosts set to develop alongside wintry showers nearer the coast.
The Met Office has forecast the following conditions for evening: "Long clear spells inland allowing another sharp frost to develop. The odd freezing fog patch may form in sheltered valleys.
"Breezy and cloudy near the coast with occasional wintry showers. Minimum temperature -7 °C."
On Thursday, the following conditions are expected: "A very cold start with any freezing fog patches thinning slowly. Cloudy and breezy along the coast with scattered wintry showers penetrating inland at times.
"Sunny spells further west. Maximum temperature 2 °C."
Here is the outlook for Friday to Sunday according to the Met Office: "Cloudy and windy on Friday with wintry showers, prolonged at times.
"Mostly dry on Saturday, breezy and a little less cold. Windy, cloudy, with snow turning to rain on Sunday."
Earlier this week, the Met Office issued a 'yellow weather warning' for the North East amid a series of warnings which have been issued across the country.
They have warned of the following conditions: "Wintry showers will affect many areas of northern Scotland and parts of northeast England, though tending to become fewer in number from later on Thursday.
"A few centimetres of snow are likely to accumulate at low levels with the potential for as much as 15-20 cm over higher ground.
"In addition, ice is likely to form on untreated surfaces, mainly where some of the showers fall as sleet close to coasts."
They have advised that the following forms of disruption are likely to occur in the coming days:
- Some roads and railways likely to be affected with longer journey times by road, bus and train services
- Some injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces
- Probably some icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths
Paul Gundersen, Met Office chief forecaster, said: “Over the last week, the UK has been held in a northerly airflow bringing cold, sometimes Arctic air, to the UK. We will still have this northerly influence to our weather patterns until the weekend, but then the cold conditions will lose exclusive dominance over the UK’s weather patterns and we will move into a regime where relatively mild and relatively cold conditions will vie for supremacy.
“We can expect changeable conditions with colder and milder air not too far away from our shores, but it does seem that the Atlantic ‘has woken up’ compared with recent days and will be a stronger influence, countering any further bouts of extreme cold conditions, although spells of further wintry weather remain possible through the rest of December.”
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