Sussex and Surrey snow warning: 'There is potential but it is not guaranteed'

The Met Office said a weather system ‘may push snow into some southern counties’ of England – including Sussex and Surrey – on Wednesday (January 8), which ‘could then prove disruptive’.

It comes after an amber cold health alert was extended for the South East.

The yellow warning reads: “Whilst not all areas may be affected, outbreaks of snow may push in from the southwest during Wednesday, potentially giving some significant accumulations in places.

"Two to five centimetres of snow could accumulate fairly widely, and as much as 10 cm over higher ground, especially over east or northeast-facing slopes. Rain or sleet is more likely near coasts. Note that there is still a possibility that the weather system, and associated rain or snow, may remain further south across the English Channel.

"As precipitation clears eastwards and skies clear during Wednesday night, ice is likely to form on untreated surfaces.”

Snow is not guaranteed

Although there is the chance of snowfall in parts of southern England ‘for a time’ on Wednesday afternoon, this is not 100 per cent confirmed.

Met Office chief forecaster, Jason Kelly, said the situation is ‘being closely monitored’.

He explained: “Weather conditions will start to change from the southwest on Wednesday, with fronts from the Atlantic bringing milder air along with moisture. As this moisture encounters the cold air, snowfall is expected particularly over higher ground and away from the coast. However, there is still uncertainty about how far north these fronts will reach. They could either skirt the south or move into southern England.

"Currently, a snow warning is in place, but it is not guaranteed. The situation is being closely monitored. As the forecast is finely balanced, do stay up to date with the latest forecast for your area.”

The yellow warning indicates that there is a ‘small chance’ that power cuts will occur and other services, such as mobile phone coverage, ‘may be affected’.

The Met Office added: “There is a slight chance that some rural communities could become cut off, most likely in upland areas.

"There is a small chance of travel delays on roads with some stranded vehicles and passengers, along with delayed or cancelled rail and air travel.”

How to stay safe on the roads

With the temperature drop and recent rain and snowfall, drivers have been warned about icy conditions and travel disruptions.

Richard Evans, head of technical services at online car-buying service webuyanycar has shared some top tips for drivers getting around safely in this weather.

He said: “Driving in winter conditions can have a huge impact on our cars. The cold and icy conditions can not only be dangerous, but can also lead to accidental damage. Our research shows that half of drivers (50 per cent) avoid driving in snowy weather, almost half (47 per cent) avoid driving in icy weather, and around one in five (19 per cent) avoid driving in stormy weather.

“Overall there are some key things that drivers should stay aware of and consider when getting around. Preparing yourself before any journey will keep you safer on the roads.

“Our guide for winter driving will give drivers an overview of how to get around safely and prepare their cars for the weather.”

– Tyres: “Tyre tread needs to be at least 3mm to provide drivers with the right amount of grip. And where possible it can be worth investing in some winter tyres or snow chains to help increase the cars grip on the road.”

– Anti-freeze: “Anti-freeze helps to make sure that your engine stays at a constant temperature so that it can operate when it is very hot or very cold outside. Making sure engine coolant is topped up will help stop the fluid freezing with a drop in temperature.”

– Go easy on the brakes: “When roads are icy, it can be common for cars to skid but it is important for drivers to stay calm, and not to panic and slam on the brakes. Instead, if they feel they are starting to skid they need to gently take their foot off the accelerator and let the car slow down naturally whilst steering into the skid to help straighten up naturally.”

– Clear the whole windscreen: “When the windscreen has frosted up, it can be tempting or easy to just clear the drivers side of the windscreen or drive off before it’s fully clear of fog. However, this can be very dangerous, and drivers need to ensure that the windscreen is fully clear to increase drivers visibility and keep people safe.”

– Keep supplies in the car: “Having some essentials like ice scraper, torch, shovel, blanket, or extra clothes to stay warm can be useful to have if drivers end up breaking down.”

Outlook for the week – with continued risk of snow

According to the Met Office, Thursday and Friday will bring ‘continued low temperatures’, with snow and ice warnings ‘likely to be issued as confidence in the most likely impacted areas increases’.

Fronts moving in from the southwest on Friday and Saturday ‘bring the potential for more snow’, with the ‘possibility of further warnings’.

Deputy chief forecaster, Chris Almond, said: “Thursday will see another cold night, with potentially the lowest temperatures of the winter so far, minus 15°C or so is possible in locations with lying snow in Scotland or northern England.

“In the early hours of Friday, a front arriving from the west will encounter the cold air in place over the UK. This could bring further sleet or snowfall for some regions in the south and west, as well as a risk of ice for a time as it moves north-eastwards into central parts, but the extent of this is still uncertain.”

“By Sunday, milder air will have moved in across much of the UK, meaning rain is more likely than snow as we get to the end of the weekend. Northern Ireland and Western Scotland are most likely to see some showery outbreaks of rain and breezy conditions through Sunday, with conditions further south and east drier and more settled.”