Freezing Stoke-on-Trent hit with new 18-hour Met Office weather warning

-Credit:Pete Stonier / Stoke Sentinel
-Credit:Pete Stonier / Stoke Sentinel


Meteorologists have issued a weather warning for ice across a freezing North Staffordshire. The yellow alert will come in later today as temperatures drop below freezing across Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle and the Moorlands.

And conditions turned wintry again earlier this morning when heavy snow began to fall causing rush-hour gridlock all over the Potteries. Now the Met Office has issued yet another wintry weather warning for North Staffordshire.

The yellow alert for ice will come in at 4pm this afternoon and run until 10am tomorrow (January 10). The alert issued by the Met Office states: "Scattered wintry showers may lead to some icy patches and travel disruption."

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This week has seen heavy snow and plunging temperatures bring gridlock to the roads while some schools have been unable to open at all. Meanwhile drivers say they have been confronted by 'treacherous' and 'dangerous' conditions on a number of side roads across North Staffordshire.

Weather warnings for ice in the UK
Weather warnings for ice in the UK

In its latest forecast the Met Office says temperatures will drop down to -3C tonight in the Potteries and get as low as -5C tomorrow morning - when it will feel like -7C. But in and around Leek and it'll be -7C in the morning - but will feel like -9C.

Temperatures are expected to begin creeping up from January 13 - before they reach 10C on the following day. However before then and it looks to be a cold end to the week and weekend in North Staffordshire.

This morning's heavy snowfall brought gridlock to the city - including in Chell
This morning's heavy snowfall brought gridlock to the city - including in Chell

Nationally and Thursday night is expected to bring a 'widespread hard frost' across the UK with temperatures possibly plunging to -16C in Scotland. Paul Gundersen, chief meteorologist with the Met Office, said: "Another very cold night is expected tonight with temperatures dipping as low as -16°C where we have lying snow in Scotland and northern England. Temperatures will also be well below freezing across much of the UK so there is a continued risk of ice overnight and through Friday morning’s rush hour.

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“Milder air will attempt to move into the UK from the southwest on Friday morning, heralding the end of this impactful cold spell. Increasing cloud and light rain, perhaps preceded by a little snow, will begin to affect northwestern then northern parts of the UK through the weekend. Here, temperatures will be back to around average by Sunday, and on Monday it’ll be much milder, with temperatures reaching double digits in Northern Ireland, northern England and Scotland”.

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