The Met Office has issued a new severe weather warning for snow for today, but not for Dorset.

The forecaster says there will be snow today, but in a "narrow 100 mile corridor" down the length of the country which is hard to predict.

The warning says:"Outbreaks of sleet and snow will spread from the northwest ... before reaching the Midlands and southern England during the evening and night. 1-3 cm snowfall is likely at low levels

"Ice may prove an additional hazard in places. Please be aware of the potential for some travel disruption and difficult driving conditions."

The warning says it's a "frontal zone" moving across the country which will hit cold air over the UK.

It says: "This allows rain at the leading edge of this frontal zone to turn to snow and persist for several hours before the frontal zone weakens during Sunday, allowing less cold conditions to start developing and some of the snow to start melting.

"This snow is expected to fall along a relatively narrow corridor, perhaps only 100 miles wide, which means that some areas within the warning area may escape much of the snow. Meanwhile, where snow is limited or rain occurs instead, icy stretches may develop on untreated roads as rain and snow starts."

The alert is valid until 6am on Sunday.

Meanwhile, a yellow warning for ice for Dorset is still in place, with it set to feel no warmer than -5C at 8am this morning. 

Bournemouth Echo:

The warning - which covers Dorset, Bournemouth and Poole - says: "Temperatures will fall sharply after dark on Friday evening allowing icy patches to form on untreated surfaces, including footpaths and cycleways, especially where there have been wintry showers today.

"Please be aware of the potential for difficult travel conditions."

The chief forecaster said: "Clear skies will allow temperatures to fall widely below freezing on Friday evening."

Gritters were out across Dorset at 4am this morning but there is ice on minor roads not covered by the gritters, with Travel Dorset warning of several accidents already on the A35 at Winterbourne Abbas.

You can see if your usual driving route has been gritted here. Drivers using Boundary Lane or the B3347 to avoid the Spur Road works are warned they are not part of the gritting network.

Travel Dorset were gritting additional routes during last night's run and will be out again at 9am. 

 


Dorset Police has also issued safety advice for those who have to take to the roads.

Motorists are advised to exercise “extreme caution” when behind the wheel, even if roads appear gritted.

Dr Angie Bone, head of extreme events at Public Health England, said a cold weather alert has been issued for England.

“It’s really important people take extra care when out and about,” Dr Bone said.

“Accidents can happen to anyone.”

The Met Office had said snow was a possibility on Friday but in the end none materialised.