Commuters could be in for a tortuous journey back home on Friday night thanks to sleet, snow and ice, the Met Office is warning today.
The band of frosty downpours is expected to push across the south through Friday afternoon and evening, clearing by the early hours of Saturday morning.
Although snow is expected to fall mainly on higher ground, rain and sleet showers may turn briefly to snow at lower levels.
This is expected to cause difficult driving conditions, exacerbated by black ice expected to form on roads and pavements. The Met Office is warning this could case travel disruption for commuters making their way back home for the weekend on Friday evening.
Its chief forecaster says: “An occluded front is expected to push south across southern parts of the UK through Friday afternoon and evening before clearing the south coast by the early hours of Saturday morning. This occlusion will be accompanied by colder air from the northeast with a mix of wintry precipitation.
“As often is the case in snow situations in the UK whether the precipitation falls as rain or snow is finely balanced resulting in some uncertainty in the details of the rain and snow mix.
“At this time it is likely that snow will largely be confined to higher ground above 200-400m however sleet and snow may temporarily fall to lower levels in heavier precipitation.
“A greater hazard will come from the potential for widespread ice to form as skies clear through the evening behind the front allowing road surface temperatures fall below freezing.
“The frontal precipitation may also result in some wash off of grit to allow freezing on previously treated surfaces.
“This event has potential to result in medium impacts to travel.”
