Met Office urges drivers to pack 'nine items' in their car this weekend

The Met Office has encouraged drivers to pack a number of key and crucial items in their cars this weekend. The forecasters and meteorologists have spoken out as they issue a string of yellow weather warnings for the country going forward.

"Snowy, wintry weather can cause delays and make driving conditions dangerous, so to keep yourself and others safe: plan your route, checking for delays and road closures, amending your travel plans if necessary," the Met Office has warned.

It has issued yellow alerts for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, adding: "If driving, leave more time to prepare and check your car before setting off; make sure you have essentials packed in your car in the event of any delays."

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The Met Office then namechecked warm clothing, food, water, a blanket, a torch, ice scraper/de-icer, a warning triangle, high visibility vest and an in-car phone charger. Your car battery capacity will likely reduce and your car will take longer to start. The cold will also thicken all the fluids in your vehicle, leaving the engine oil, antifreeze and transmission fluid too viscous to move. This can cause wider issues if the car can no longer circulate the fluids: a lack of oil means the engine isn’t lubricated, a lack of transmission fluid means you’ll struggle to change gears, and with a lack of coolant, your engine can overheat.

In extremely cold temperatures, your tyre pressures can also fluctuate. Cold air is denser than warm air, so it takes up less space in your tyres causing them to lose pressure. This can happen by as much as 2 PSI for every 10°C drop in temperature. Your Tyre Pressure Monitoring System light (TPMS) should indicate which specific tyres are low on pressure so that you can check them for any signs of lost pressure before starting your journey

Booking your car for a health check or service before the cold weather hits can help avoid any potential problems.