Weather warning updated for North East with rain, sleet and snow set to hit region

The North East is expected to be hit with rain, sleet and snow over the next couple of days.

The Met Office has now issued an updated weather warning on Sunday morning, with sleet and rain set to combine with snow on Monday and Tuesday. A yellow weather warning remains in place for snow and ice, with forecasters cautioning that wintry weather could lead to some disruption.

The update states: "A period of rain, sleet and snow will occur during Monday evening, overnight into Tuesday morning. The most likely scenario is for most of the snow to accumulate on hills, with five to 10cm possible above 200 metres and perhaps as much as 15 to 20cm above 300 metres.

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"There is a small chance of snow settling at lower levels, where 5 to 10 cm would prove much more disruptive, but this remains very uncertain. As rain, sleet and snow clear on Tuesday morning, ice may form on untreated surfaces."

Last week the Met Office issued a 24-hour yellow warning from 10am on Monday, November 18 until 10am on Tuesday, November 19. This encompasses the whole region including Northumberland, Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Sunderland and County Durham, as well as stretching as far north as Glasgow and down to Leeds.

But the warning area has now been extended southwards across northern England, into parts of the north Midlands and North Wales, whilst removed from central Scotland. The start time has also been delayed until Monday evening.

While the extent of the snowfall remains uncertain, forecasters have advised that there is currently a "small chance" that bus, train and air services may be delayed or cancelled, with some road closures and longer journey times possible. There is also a risk of injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces, and that untreated pavements and cycle paths could become "impassable".