UK weather: Met Office issues warning for dense fog sparking rush-hour mayhem – check map of locations
HEAVY fog is blanketing Britain – with the Met Office warning of travel chaos.
Flight delays or cancellations are expected after a yellow weather warning was put in place across large areas of the UK.
The warning will be in effect until 11am and covers large swathes of England, from Exeter to Oxford, Birmingham, Peterborough and York, as well as parts of Wales.
The fog will create difficult driving conditions, may mean slower journey times and delays to bus and train services, and could disrupt flight travel, according to the Met Office.
Some of the UK’s busiest airports saw disruption around Christmas time as thick fog blanketed the country, with delays at Heathrow, Luton and Manchester airports.
Flights were also disrupted earlier this month as snow, ice and heavy winds prompted runway closures or pauses to operations at with Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol airports.
MET OFFICE
Met Office meteorologist Clare Nasir said the fog “will be slow to clear” this morning.
She said: “There will be some sunshine around but at the same time some pockets of frost as well.
“High pressure sits towards the low counties. Further north and northwest… low pressure systems track, bringing stronger winds from time to time for Scotland and also Northern Ireland.
“The strongest winds are always towards the north, as well as the west, where we’ll always see the chance of clouds and even some outbreaks of rain further south.
“There’s not a lot of movement in our air, that means the cloud today is likely to be stubborn, particularly across more central and eastern areas some hazy sunshine once the sun rises across eastern areas of Scotland.”
She went on to say: “More cloud for Northern Ireland yesterday, western parts of Scotland seeing cloud but dry conditions.
“A cold start for Northern England, the north Midlands, as well as Wales and again some pockets of frost, low cloud and also some patches of fog to start the day further south and east and this fog will be slow to clear.
“The winds remain fairly light and it is a chilly morning, so three types of weather.”
It comes after the Met Office issued five key tips for driving in difficult conditions including asking motorists to follow a two-second rule and to wind down their windows.
The post read: “Be aware there is a lot of mist and fog this morning across England and Wales, as well as SW Scotland.
“Here are some tips for driving in fog, from our partners, to help keep everyone safe on the commute/school run.”
Five-day weather forecast
Today:
Remaining rather windy with occasional spells of light rain for the far northwest of Scotland.
Cloud in the southeast spreading into Wales and southwest England.
Dry with sunny spells elsewhere after early dense fog patches slowly clear through the morning.
Tonight:
Rain in northwest Scotland edging slowly south.
Cloud across southern England and Wales spreading north.
Less fog than previous nights and generally a little milder too.
Friday:
Rain across northern and western Scotland easing and turning brighter here.
Remaining cloudy in southeast England.
Elsewhere, cloudier than previous days and feeling a little cooler for most.
Outlook for Saturday to Monday:
Some rain and often windy in the northwest.
Mostly cloudy central and southern England, and sometimes Wales, with hill fog and patchy drizzle.
Occasionally brighter elsewhere. Mild north, colder south.