UK weather: Met Office issues yellow warning for snow in western England

An unexpected cold snap has prompted the Met Office to issue a yellow weather warning after snow fell in parts of western England.

The warning covers an area from south of Bristol to north of Worcester and extends west to Hereford and east to Swindon.

This comes after temperatures hovered above 0C (32F) overnight.

The turn in the weather seemed to surprise many, with some motorists posting videos on X showing heavy snowfall on motorways in western England.

One netizen said: “I didn’t expect it to be like this. There was heavy M5/M4 snow this morning. Please be careful out there!”

In a warning issued just after 6am on Saturday morning, the Met Office said brief periods of snow could cause “troublesome driving conditions in some places”.

The warning is in effect until 10 a.m., with some rain bands expected to turn to light snow, with up to 3 centimeters (1.2 inches) of snow falling in some areas. The Met Office advises motorists to avoid driving in heavy snow and icy conditions unless necessary.

Updates were also issued on national highways in the south west, with CCTV traffic camera images showing two motorways covered in snow.

The agency said: “If you are traveling in the area, please allow extra time this morning as there is a flurry of snow on our network. Please note that gravel will not prevent snow from falling on the roads.

“The Met Office yellow snow warning will remain in effect until 10:00.”

Parts of Wiltshire were blanketed in snow overnight, prompting warnings for the motorway network, with National Highways advising motorists to allow extra time when traveling on Saturday.

Much of north and west Wiltshire – including Chippenham, Melksham, Warminster and Salisbury – was also affected by the snowfall.