News Beat
Met Office weather warning as Storm Chandra hits Greater Manchester
It will be a wet and windy start to the day, with spells of heavy rain and gale-force gusts affecting exposed areas.
The Met Office has issued a Yellow warning for rain and snow, covering parts of Greater Manchester and much of northern England, in force until 5pm today.
As colder air moves in, rain will turn to snow across the Pennines, with higher routes most at risk of difficult conditions.
Rain and hill snow are forecast to ease later in the afternoon, although it will remain blustery throughout the day.
Temperatures are expected to peak at around 8°C.
Forecasters warn that heavy rain falling on already saturated ground could lead to flooding of roads, homes and businesses, while snow accumulation over higher ground may cause transport disruption.
Rain spread northwards overnight into this morning, with 20–30mm falling widely and up to 40–50mm possible in parts of the southern Pennines.
In some areas, rainfall totals could build rapidly, with as much as 20mm falling within three hours.
While snow is unlikely to settle at low levels, accumulations will increase sharply with elevation.
The Met Office warns of 2–5cm of snow above 300 metres, 5–10cm above 400 metres and up to 10–20cm over ground higher than 500 metres.
Strong and gusty southeasterly winds could lead to drifting snow, particularly on exposed Pennine routes.
The warning increases the likelihood of longer journey times on roads and railways, disruption to bus and train services, spray and surface flooding on roads and the potential for interruptions to power supplies.
Tonight, clearer spells will develop alongside scattered showers early in the evening. Winds will gradually ease overnight, allowing temperatures to fall to around 3°C, bringing a chilly end to the day.
Severe flood warnings remain in force elsewhere in England, particularly across southern regions, as Storm Chandra tracks northwards.
An Amber warning for wind has been issued for eastern Northern Ireland, with gusts of up to 70mph expected, while further snow warnings cover parts of northern England and Scotland.
