risk of freezing rain tomorrow. (sat 14th)

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

I just wanted to highlight the potential still exists for freezing rain for those in northern england and Scotland tomorrow afternoon and evening. No real details and probability is fairly low BUT it is such a serious weather event when it does happen, that I feel flagging it is a wise thing.

Those who got freezing rain in March in southern England will remember how just a cm or so of freezing rain caused some very dangerous driving issues and brought branches down. Remember freezing rain is not hail - it falls as water and freezes on contact with surfaces instantly.

Tomorrow's event if it happens could be very nasty, with high winds and lots of precipitation forecast. If it were to fall as freezing rain then I would expect travel disruption and the potential for power supply interruption.

Don't cancel plans based on this post but please do just keep an eye on things. If the temperature is below 0 and it is raining, then it's a worry.

Thanks! I always have warm clothing with me as I'm already wimpy! We are planning on coming back today too but thinking we may pick up a cheap hotel room if people are cancelling.

This afternoon setting off

That's a really good idea dolly.
Saturn while obviously the responsibility is down to you, personally I would postpone. While forecasts can change, the met office matrix has it has likely.

They have delayed the start time of the event to lunch time: "Updated to slightly delay the start time until 1300 Saturday when the more widespread freezing rain will arrive. Some isolated pockets of freezing rain are possible before this and are covered by the snow & ice warning."

Which given the radar isn't picking out any yet seems reasonable.

Ok thanks for that OP.
Gutted meant to be seeing my friends and having night out in Sheffield for friends birthday
Think I will do the sensible thing for once.

:( can you not head off straight away and stay over night?

I always feel really worried offering advice in case it is the wrong advice.

We are off on Santa’s train ride in Cumbria today.
Intrepid as we are in slightly nervous and just hope we are almost back home before the worst hits.

Yeah IMO these things often end up not as bad as forecast and as long as you have a plan B and stay aware of what's going on I'd do it. Not if it involves driving in freezing rain though! I might be back later to eat my words....

Don't drive in freezing rain is one bit of advice I'm happy to give

Freezing rain has started... (red on this radar, yellow is sleet, white is snow)

It looks like isolated pockets for the time being.

remember though that those colours are not very precise, it may not be exactly like that on the ground.

Thoughts on today's weather from Netweather and TheWeatherOutlook.

I'm wondering if the risk is turning more into a heavy snow scenario for people looking at the latest radar. The met office have a new warning out for heavy snow now.

www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/warnings#?date=2018-12-15

I think we're going to fall into the rain/freezing rain category. It's very much 'calm before the storm' here at the moment.

Eek thanks for this you guys.

I'm getting heavy cold rain at 2c. /Sigh.

We've been getting heavy rain mixed with ice drops and it's windy.

Nottingham it's just been occasional flakes of snow or sleet.

We currently have a ‘feels like’ temperature of -6 but not snow or rain as of yet.

How is elsewhere doing?

Very windy here, NE England, Tyneside . The sky looks heavy but no snow or rain yet. It’s bitterly cold.

Leicester signing in here where it's dull and miserable. We had a sort of wintry drizzle from midday until about 1/2 an hour ago but now we've got a proper sleety/rain. Temperature's dropping quite quickly ~ was 2.7C at 1.36pm and it's now 1.9C

We are being battered by it in Dundee, the dog walk was not fun, freezing rain hitting your face is painful!

Very wet and windy in Cheshire

We've had pouring rain and 3c, but I'm not in a warning area.

It’s raining and freezing here near Skipton/Bradford. Very treacherous outside (apparently - I’m on the sofa under a blanket with my three week old and not planning on moving to check!) and reports on local Facebook sites of some accidents.