UK households have been advised to stock up on batteries this week as the harsh weather conditions could cause power cuts in homes across the country. The Met Office has issued several yellow weather warnings and one amber warning for various areas across the country.
Wintry conditions are set to cause snowfall and ice build-up across the country, with the weather agency warning of a range of potential issues, including travel delays, cancellations of bus and train services, injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces, and power cuts.
Yellow weather warnings of ice, snow or both have been issued to areas in Scotland, Northern England, the Midlands and the South West, from Wednesday, November 19 to Thursday, November 20.
The Met Office said that there is a “slight chance” of power cuts, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage. With that, the agency is urging people to have batteries in their homes.
The Met Office explained: “People cope better with power cuts when they have prepared for them in advance. It’s easy to do; consider gathering torches and batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essential items.”
Neil Armstrong, Met Office Chief Forecaster, said: “Cold Arctic air from the north is firmly in charge of the UK’s weather, bringing the first notable cold snap of this autumn and giving an early taste of winter weather.
“As a result, winter hazards are likely through the next few days, with snow and ice a particular hazard, and the coldest conditions likely on Wednesday and Thursday. Wintry showers will affect areas exposed to the brisk northerly wind, in particular Northern Ireland, southwest Wales, southwest England, northeast England and across the northern half of Scotland.”
Not all areas are at risk of power cuts. However, it is best to be prepared as weather warnings can change rapidly. Brits should also regularly keep up to date with local weather forecasts, should any weather warning change.
The full list of areas that could be affected by power cuts is below:
Central, Tayside & Fife
Grampian
- Aberdeen
- Aberdeenshire
- Moray
Highlands & Eilean Siar
- Na h-Eileanan Siar
- Highland
Orkney & Shetland
- Orkney Islands
- Shetland Islands
Stratchclyde
SW Scotland, Lothian Borders
North East England
- Darlington
- Durham
- Gateshead
- Hartlepool
- Middlesbrough
- Newcastle upon Tyne
- North Tyneside
- Northumberland
- Redcar and Cleveland
- South Tyneside
- Stockton-on-Tees
- Sunderland
South West England
Wales
- Carmarthenshire
- Ceredigion
- Pembrokeshire
- Swansea
