What is freezing rain and what makes it so dangerous?
An amber warning for snow and ice, with the risk of freezing rain, covers most of Wales and central England until midday on Sunday.
Freezing rain, which makes up what are commonly known as ice storms in North America, is a rarity in the UK because the conditions for it are quite specific, according to the Met Office.
But what is it and how is it different to snow?
Freezing rain is rainfall that has become “supercooled” as it falls from the sky.
Up to 30cm of snow expected in parts of UK – follow live
It starts when snow, ice, sleet or hail high up in the atmosphere melts into rain when it falls through the layers of warmer air below.
If the rain then passes through a sub-zero layer of air just above the ground, it can remain liquid and instead become “supercooled”. This is the key to freezing rain.
Supercooled water will freeze on impact – forming a clear layer of ice on cold surfaces such as trees, roads and power lines.
Why is it dangerous?
It’s once it hits the surface and turns to ice that it can pose a real threat.
The ice is very clear, often referred to as black ice, because it is so difficult to see, making it treacherous for pedestrians and drivers.
Freezing rain on a car. Pic: iStock
Sky News meteorologist Kirsty McCabe explains: “The supercooled rain hits the ground and freezes instantly on impact, and that creates a thin layer of ice, also known as glaze, and it’s clear, so you can’t see the ice, which makes it really treacherous.”
If it hits power lines or tree branches, depending on how much rain there has been, the weight of the ice can cause them to break off because they can’t support the weight.
It can also make it difficult to open your car door if there is enough of it.
Get the five-day forecast where you are
Where is it expected to fall?
From 6pm on Saturday to midday on Sunday an amber warning for snow and ice, with the risk of freezing rain, covers most of Wales and central England, including the Midlands and Liverpool and Manchester in the North West.
But McCabe says it’s Wales where people should be particularly wary of freezing rain.
What precautions should people take?
The best thing people can do is take extra care when travelling. As it is so hard to see, it’s difficult to judge just how icy road surfaces are.
The RAC says freezing rain is arguably the most treacherous of all conditions for motorists.
They urge people not to drive unless necessary, but say those who do need to should check they have plenty of fuel and oil and check their tyre treads.
They also encourage drivers to make sure their lights are working and check they have screenwash.
Liverpool have won the Premier League title after a 5-1 victory over Tottenham at Anfield.
Arne Slot’s men did it in impressive style, turning over Spurs in a convincing win.
It was a rocky start for the Reds after Dominic Solanke put the north London side ahead.
However, fortunes quickly changed in the first half as Liverpool scored three times without a response.
Captain Virgil van Dijk (centre) celebrates. Pic: Reuters
Salah on his knees in celebration after the final whistle. Pic: AP
Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott (below) and Jarell Quansah celebrate after full-time. Pic: PA
Slot cheers after the full-time whistle. Pic: AP
In the second half, it took until the 63rd minute for Mohamed Salah to make it 4-1 before a fifth followed.
The Reds have won the title in manager Arne Slot’s first season in charge, and move level with fierce rivals Manchester United on 20 league championships.
But it makes them arguably the most successful English club ever as they have won more European Cup or Champions League titles.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk told Sky Sports after the final whistle: “It’s special and it’s something that we don’t take for granted. It’s amazing.
“A lot of emotions before the game, during the whole week, but we got the job done and we (are) truly deserved champions of England. (Liverpool is) the most beautiful club in the world and I think we deserve all of this. Let’s enjoy the next couple of weeks and let it sink in.”
Liverpool’s Kostas Tsimikas poses with a Premier League trophy cut out. Pic: Reuters
Manager Arne Slot and his team after the final whistle. Pic: AP
Slot took over last summer from Jurgen Klopp, who guided them to their previous and maiden Premier League title triumph in 2020, when the COVID-19 lockdown saw matches played behind closed doors.
He is the first Dutch manager to win the Premier League and the fifth man to do so in a debut campaign after Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Manuel Pellegrini, and Antonio Conte.
Speaking to Sky Sports he said: “They [the players] did an outstanding job today. The main job was to win. Everyone said we had got it already. But we had to make sure and we got over the line.”
Several players, including Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, and Mohamed Salah, played leading roles in both the 2025 and 2020 campaigns.
Van Dijk and Salah recently signed new contracts extending their careers at the club.
Mohamed Salah takes a selfie with fans after scouring the fourth Liverpool goal. Pic: AP
Fans at Anfield during the game. Pic: AP
Fans in the stands at Anfield before full-time. Pic: Reuters
Liverpool will have to wait until the final game of the season – at home to Crystal Palace on 25 May – to be presented with the Premier League trophy.
It will be the first time the club’s fans will have seen their side lift the top-flight title in person since 1990.
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Two pro-Palestinian demonstrators have thrown red powder on Tower Bridge – just moments before leading runners in the London Marathon went past.
The protesters were arrested on suspicion of causing a public nuisance and remain in custody, said the Metropolitan Police.
A video shared by Youth Demand, which is calling for a trade embargo on Israel, shows two people jumping over a barrier that separates spectators from the race course.
The pair, wearing t-shirts that say “Youth Demand: Stop Arming Israel”, are then seen standing in the middle of the road on the bridge.
Pic: LNP
They throw red powder in the air as an official marathon car goes past displaying the race time.
A motorbike with a cameraman on board continues along the route, while a second motorbike stops and one of the riders gets off and pushes the pair out of the way, just before the men’s elite runners pass.
Several police officers then jump over the barrier and detain the pair, the footage shows.
There appeared to be no impact on the marathon.
More than 56,000 participants were expected to take part in the 26.2-mile race through the capital.
Sabastian Sawe of Kenya won the men’s elite race in a time of two hours, two minutes and 27 seconds, while Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa shattered the women’s-only world record in two hours, 15 minutes and 50 seconds.
Assefa beat the previous best of two hours, 16 minutes and 16 seconds set last year in London by Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir.
Read more:
Sky’s Beth Rigby running marathon in honour of ‘dearest friend’
Badenoch does not rule out local coalitions with Reform
Pic: LNP
The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: “At around 10.38am, two protesters from Youth Demand jumped over barriers at Tower Bridge and threw red paint on to the road.
“Marathon event staff intervened to remove the protesters from the path of the men’s elite race which was able to pass unobstructed.”
The force added that they were “quickly supported by police officers who arrested the protesters on suspicion of causing a public nuisance”.
The Met said the paint “appeared to be chalk-based” and was not expected to “present a hazard to runners yet to pass this point”.
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