THE Met Office has issued a weather warning for snow this week.

Temperatures are forecast to plummet during the week, with snow and ice expected in Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and western Carmarthenshire.

The yellow weather warning for snow is in place across these areas throughout the whole of Wednesday and Thursday.  

A Met Office spokesperson said: “The heaviest and most frequent snow showers will be across northern Scotland during Wednesday morning, before developing across parts of southwest Scotland, Northern Ireland, northwest England and Wales later in the day.

“Snow showers are likely to continue during Wednesday night and well into Thursday.

“Whilst accumulations will vary due to the nature of showers, 2cm to 5cm of snow is expected in many places.

“Where showers become more organised, there is a chance some low-lying areas could see 10cm in a few hours.”

The Met Office has warned people to expect some delays to public transport services and disruption and poor driving conditions on the roads. There is a “small chance” of power cuts, it warned, and the weather may cut off some rural communities.

The Met Office spokesperson continued: “Snowy, wintry weather can cause delays and make driving conditions dangerous, so to keep yourself and others safe: plan your route, checking for delays and road closures, amending your travel plans if necessary; if driving, leave more time to prepare and check your car before setting off; make sure you have essentials packed in your car in the event of any delays (warm clothing, food, water, a blanket, a torch, ice scraper/de-icer, a warning triangle, high visibility vest and an in-car phone charger).

“People cope better when they have prepared in advance for the risk of power cuts or being cut off from services and amenities due to the snow. It’s easy to do; consider gathering torches and batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essential items.

“Be prepared for weather warnings to change quickly: when a weather warning is issued, the Met Office recommends staying up to date with the weather forecast in your area.”

Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Chris Bulmer explained: “There are a couple of weather systems for Tuesday and Wednesday which we are keeping an eye on that bring the potential for disruptive snow for some regions.

“With cold air firmly in place, any weather systems that move across the country next week will bringing mainly snowfall inland. Models are currently showing us a variety of options for both systems and we’ll be able to add more details to in the coming days.”

Amy Fellows, national network manager at National Highways said: “Freezing conditions bring so many hazards such as snow and ice, so take every possible step to understand your journey in advance and allow lots of extra time when travelling to prepare for the unexpected.

“National Highways also reminds motorists to keep TRIP in mind ahead of journeys – Top-up: oil, water, screen wash; Rest: rest every two hours; Inspect: Inspect tyres and lights and Prepare: check your route and the weather forecast.”