Snow hits south-east England as flooding persists – BBC News
Snow has started to fall near Maidstone in Kent with sleet and rain also forecast
Snow has started hitting parts of the UK, with other areas being warned of potential flooding.
BBC Weather said south-east England will see a mix of snow, sleet and rain on Monday.
The Met Office says that snowy showers “could turn quite heavy”, with some areas seeing light dustings of snow as temperatures plunge.
The Environment Agency has also warned that flooding could continue on Monday, mainly in central England.
The Met Office has also issued a yellow warning for ice for southern England and southern Wales, from 15:00 Monday until 03:00 on Tuesday. It warns that ice and small amounts of snow “could lead to slippery surfaces in new places”.
BBC Weather forecaster Stav Danaos said north-east England will see light rain, light sleet and snow over hills, while south-east England will experience wintry showers and “a light dusting of snow”, even in lower areas.
The Met Office earlier had a yellow warning for ice in place for parts of south-east England until mid-morning on Monday, saying that “icy patches and wintry showers” could affect some areas, leading to potentially slower journeys.
It said “a mix of sleet and snow showers” will move in from the east, with temperatures reaching “near zero”.
“Given these wintry showers, and also wet surfaces after recent wet weather, some icy patches are likely on untreated surfaces,” the forecaster added.
A pedestrian crosses a bridge during a snow shower near Maidstone in Kent earlier
A yellow warning for ice was also issued for parts of Northern Ireland, with the Met Office warning of potentially difficult travelling conditions caused by icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths.
Police have urged road users to exercise caution.
“Stick to main, gritted roads when possible. Slow down, and increase your braking distance from the vehicle in front,” a Police Service of Northern Ireland spokesperson said.
The UK Health Security Agency has already issued a cold weather alert covering the whole of England until Friday.
Meanwhile, the Environment Agency (EA) has said “significant river flooding impacts” are expected on Monday in parts of the Midlands, Lincolnshire and on the River Thames.
Katharine Smith, flood duty manager at the Environment Agency, urged people not to drive through flood water, and to follow advice of local emergency services on the roads.
“Flood water is often deeper than it looks and just 30cm (11 inches) of flowing water is enough to float your car,” she said.
The warning follows a week of heavy rainfall last week, some of which came as part of Storm Henk.
The EA warned that more than 1,800 properties have already flooded, and more could be affected over the next week as river levels rise.
Read Nore:Snow hits south-east England as flooding persists – BBC News