Brits brace for Storm Bert: Met Office issues amber weather warning for snow - with up to 40cm set to fall

22 November 2024, 12:46 | Updated: 22 November 2024, 12:47

Brits are bracing for Storm Bert, with an amber weather warning having been issued for snow across the UK.

The storm is set to reach the UK on Saturday, with "heavy rain, strong winds and disruptive snow" expected.

An amber alert for snow and ice has been issued for between 7am and 5pm on Saturday in an area north of Scotland's central belt.

Around 10-20cm of snow is likely on ground above 200 metres and potentially as much as 20-40cm on hills above 400 metres.

The warning covers parts of Angus, Perth and Kinross, Stirlingshire, Aberdeenshire and some of the Highlands and Argyll and Bute.

Yellow warnings are also in place for the north of England, south-west England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

The Met Office warned that the extreme weather will cause travel disruption and flooding, with there also being a risk of injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces.

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Met Office meteorologist Honor Criswick said: "Through into Friday... snow showers are set to continue mainly around coastal areas though once again still a few feeding inland at times.

"There will also still be plenty of autumnal sunshine. Still feeling cold though, particularly in those brisk winds - once again we're only looking at highs of around 5C, slightly higher in the south west around 7C.

"Across the north those temperatures struggling to move past 2-3C.

"As we head into Friday evening, a change is on its way as we introduce Storm Bert moving its way in from the Atlantic.

"So we'll see clouds spilling in from the south west with outbreaks of rain - heavy at times by the time we reach Saturday morning."

Ms Criswick said there are likely to be "heavy" outbreaks of rain throughout Saturday, "falling as snow" at times across northern parts of England and parts of Scotland.