Merseyside police has issued the following warning due to the adverse weather conditions:

Care needed on coastal roads and Formby by-pass by drivers of high sided vehicles.

Motorcyclists and cyclists are advised to avoid travel unless absolutely necessary.

SOUTHPORT | Yellow warning of snow and ice

00:05 on Friday until 18:00 on Saturday

Snow showers are expected to become increasingly frequent over northern Scotland late on Thursday and are expected across many other parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and western England on Friday. 2-5 cm of snow is likely for some, with 10-20 cm possible over high ground, mainly Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. Icy surfaces are also likely to be an additional hazard, especially overnight. Strong northwest winds may cause drifting of the snow in places with blizzard conditions possible at times across northern Scotland. The heaviest and most frequent of the snow showers will progressively become confined to northeast Scotland during Saturday. Some roads and railways likely to be affected with longer journey times by road, bus and for train services. Probably some icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths. Some injuries from slips and falls on icy and snowy surfaces.

Chief Forecaster’s assessment

During winter weather which brings snow showers, it is not uncommon for snow amounts to vary considerably across short distances. On Friday and Saturday, the snow showers could lead to snow accumulations which vary markedly across the warning area.

The public is advised to take extra care, further information and advice can be found here: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/warnings/

Issued at:

11:13 on Tuesday, 5 December 2017

Last modified at:

11:13 on Tuesday, 5 December 2017

Valid from:

00:05 on Friday, 8 December 2017

Valid until:

18:00 on Saturday, 9 December 2017

Local Authorities affected

Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray, Angus, Falkirk, Perth and Kinross, Stirling, Argyll and Bute, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire, Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Halton, Lancashire, Merseyside, Warrington, Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Isle of Anglesey, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Swansea, Torfaen, Vale of Glamorgan, Wrexham, Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Plymouth, North Somerset, Torbay, County Antrim, County Armagh, County Down, County Fermanagh, County Londonderry, County Tyrone, Derby, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Dumfries and Galloway, Na h-Eileanan Siar, Highland, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Telford and Wrekin, Warwickshire, West Midlands Conurbation, Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands.