The Met Office has issued a significant 21-hour yellow weather warning for snow and ice, covering parts of the Midlands and north and west Wales, with the potential to cause severe travel disruption on the first working Monday of the new year.
Timing and Forecast Details
The warning is active from 3pm on Sunday, 4 January 2026, until 12pm on Monday, 5 January. Forecasters predict that snow showers will push inland across the affected regions from Sunday afternoon, continuing through the evening and overnight.
While coastal areas may see rain and sleet, inland areas are expected to receive accumulating snow. The Met Office states that while not all locations will be affected, many places could see 1-3cm of snow by Monday morning, with a risk of 5-8cm building up in a few spots, particularly across inland and higher parts of Wales.
Areas Affected and Potential Impacts
The warning zone specifically includes Stoke-on-Trent and parts of Staffordshire and Shropshire. This follows snow that already fell in parts of the region in the early hours of Friday.
The primary concern is significant disruption to the return to work and normal routines after the Christmas break. The Met Office has warned that "snow and ice has the potential to cause disruption to travel in places from Sunday evening through to Monday morning."
Icy patches are expected to form widely, making both road and rail travel challenging on Monday morning. This could lead to widespread travel chaos for commuters.
Advice for Residents and Commuters
Residents in the affected areas are advised to plan ahead for their Monday journeys. The combination of fresh snowfall and icy patches will create hazardous conditions.
Key advice includes:
- Allow extra time for travel on Monday morning.
- Check public transport operator updates before setting out.
- Ensure vehicles are prepared for winter conditions.
- Take care on footpaths and pavements due to the risk of ice.
The warning underscores a wintry start to 2026 for central parts of the UK, with the weather system poised to impact the crucial post-holiday return for many.
