UK weather: Met Office issues two amber warnings for snow covering Wales and Peak District
Two amber weather warnings for snow have been issued by the Met Office.
Both come into effect on Thursday, with the first covering north Wales and northwest Shropshire, and the other the Peak District and south Pennines.
The warning in Wales lasts from 8am until 3pm, while the one for the Peak District starts at 12pm on Thursday and continues until 6pm.
The Met Office has said 1-2cm of snowfall is possible in low-lying areas, while 10-20cm is possible over the highest ground within the warning areas.
Check the weather forecast in your area
The amber warning for Wales and northwest Shropshire says snow and ice are “expected to cause disruption”.
The Met Office says there is a “good chance that some rural communities could be temporarily cut off”.
People are also warned that travel delays are likely on roads, with the possibility of some vehicles and passengers becoming stranded.
Disruption to rail services is also possible, with the potential for power cuts and mobile phone coverage dropping out.
An amber warning is the second most serious alert issued by the Met Office – with yellow being the least serious and red being the most.
The amber warning for the Peak District and the south Pennines states that travel disruption can be expected.
Rural communities could be cut off, delays to rail services are likely and power cuts are possible.
In another new warning issued on Wednesday, much of the south of England will be covered by a yellow rain warning between 2am on Thursday and 6am on Friday – with people warned “periods of heavy rain” could cause the flooding of homes and businesses.
The yellow weather warnings in place for Friday
Warnings across the UK
A yellow warning for snow is also in place for a large part of England and northern Wales on Thursday.
It covers the Midlands and parts of northern England including Leeds, York and Carlisle, and is in place between 6am on Thursday and 6am on Friday.
The warning says a period of snowfall could bring disruption and some rural communities might be cut off.
Travel delays and power cuts are also possible.
There is also a yellow snow and ice warning in force for most of Northern Ireland between 10am on Thursday and 6am on Friday.
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Another yellow snow and ice warning is in place across much of southern Scotland from 6pm on Thursday to 3pm on Friday.
The warning also covers part of central Scotland.
And a yellow weather warning will also be in place in central and northern Scotland from 3pm on Friday to 6pm on Saturday.
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Drivers in the North West are being warned to plan ahead. Pictured, Lenham in Kent last week (Pic: PA)
Snow risk greatest from Thursday
Met Office deputy chief meteorologist, Chris Almond, said: “There’s an increased signal for wintry hazards as we move through the week as cold air from the North moves over the UK.
“It’s from Thursday that the snow risk becomes potentially impactful, as mild air attempts to move back in from the South, bumping into the cold air and increasing the chance of snow where the two systems meet.
“While there are still lots of details to work out, the initial snow risk looks highest in northern England and Wales from Thursday.”
The alerts for Thursday, Friday and Saturday come as yellow warnings are in place for northern Scotland today.
One of them is in place until midnight, while the other will be in place from 4pm today until 10am on Thursday.
Snow and ice are expected to bring difficult driving conditions and potential disruption to rail networks.
A man has been given a prison sentence over social media posts in relation to the Southport stabbings.
Geraint Boyce, 43, from Rhondda Cynon Taf, pleaded guilty to publishing threatening material intending to stir up religious hatred.
Boyce has been jailed for two years – he will serve half of that before he is released on licence.
The charge related to Facebook posts made by Boyce on 31 July during widespread disorder across the UK.
Riots followed the deaths of three girls who were allegedly stabbed at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.
In August, the King visited the town after the deaths of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven.
Nearly 400 people have so far been jailed for offences relating to the disorder, the government has said.
Prosecuting barrister Alex Orndal told Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court that one post “showed an image of a mosque, with [Boyce’s] caption being, ‘No more mosques’.”
Within the comments section, he said mosques should be “burned down” with people inside.
He was arrested on 9 August and, while under caution, asked: “Is this because of the online stuff to do with the riots?”
The court heard the defendant was logged into the account from which the posts had been made at the time of his arrest.
In another post, he posted an image of a lion with the Union Jack and commented, “I’m ready for war”.
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In mitigation, defence barrister Nicholas Gedge said Boyce was “ashamed of what he did”.
“He held views at the time as a result of what he himself had seen online, unfortunately,” he added.
“He held, or was sympathetic to views, that were wrong, which he wholly recognises now.”
Mr Gedge added that the defendant “expresses through me, to this court, remorse for what he did, and I think remorse to society generally”.
“He really wants people to live peacefully together,” he added.
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Sentencing Boyce, Recorder of Cardiff Tracey Lloyd-Clarke said the posts showed his intention “was to incite serious violence”.
She noted that the offending took place “during a particularly sensitive social climate” and concluded that “appropriate punishment can only be achieved with immediate custody”.
UK
Kate meets families of Southport stabbing victims in first community visit since cancer diagnosis
The Princess of Wales has made a surprise visit to Southport with the Prince of Wales to meet the families of the three girls who died following the knife attack this summer.
It is a rare public appearance by the princess – her first community visit since the end of last year, her first since her cancer diagnosis and the end of her chemotherapy.
On Wednesday, it was confirmed to the media that Prince William would be making the trip to Southport, but just ahead of his arrival on Thursday it was announced that Kate had also decided to join her husband.
In private they met the families of six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe and nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar, who died as a result of the attack at The Hart Space community centre in July.
A Taylor Swift yoga and dance workshop aimed at primary school children in Year 2 to Year 6 was taking place at the time of the attack. Eight other children and two adults were also injured.
The royal couple also met one of the dance teachers who was leading the session.
Victims Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice Dasilva Aguiar and Bebe King.
Pic: Merseyside Police
It is understood William and Kate wanted to visit now to show their ongoing support for the families, the community and the first responders who attended the scene and the subsequent riots.
They met up with those members of the 999 services to hear their recollections of the day and spoke to police, ambulance and fire chiefs about the ongoing mental health support for staff.
Following the attack, the prince and princess issued a statement saying: “As parents, we cannot begin to imagine what the families, friends and loved ones of those killed and injured in Southport today are going through.
“We send our love, thoughts and prayers to all those involved in this horrid and heinous attack.”
Through their Royal Foundation they also made a donation to the National Police Wellbeing Service’s fundraiser to help fast track psychological and physical rehab for police and ambulance personnel.
In August, the King met with some of the children who survived the attack and thanked members of the community for their bravery and spirit.
Axel Rudakubana, who was 17 years old at the time and has now turned 18, has been charged with murder and attempted murder.
The visit comes after the princess announced in March that she had been diagnosed with cancer.
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In a video in September, she confirmed she had finished her preventative chemotherapy, and while she would begin doing more work, she would only be carrying out light public duties as she continues her recovery.
Last week, she was photographed hugging teenage cancer patient Liz Hatton, and this year she has attended more formal and family events such as Wimbledon and Trooping the Colour.
But this trip to Southport is her first community visit meeting members of the public with her husband since the end of 2023.
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