Yellow weather warning for snow and ice issued for West Berkshire by the Met Office for tonight and tomorrow
A weather warning for snow and ice has been issued for the district by the Met Office.
The yellow alert is in place from 9pm this evening until 10am tomorrow (Tuesday) morning and covers the whole of West Berkshire and North Hampshire.
According to the Met Office "a band of rain will edge southwards through the course of this evening and early Tuesday, turning to snow on hills and perhaps to lower levels in places".
It added that small accumulations of snow could settle in the most southerly parts of the warning area.
"As skies clear overnight, ice is also likely to form readily on untreated surfaces," it added.
The ice and snow could lead to difficult travel conditions, with people warned that roads and railways were likely to be affected.
The warning also highlights that there will probably be "some icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths".
The warning comes as National Highways reminds motorists to give gritting vehicles time and space on the roads.
Darren Clark, severe weather resilience manager at National Highways, said: “As our gritting teams go out to spread salt on the roads, our message is simple to all road users: ‘Please be patient and give us the time and space to do what we need to do to keep you safe'.
“If you are going to pass us, please do so courteously, pass us safely and legally, or even better, if you are able to stay back, you will actually help the salt on the road activate even more quickly by crushing and breaking it into the road surface which benefits everyone.
“It’s worth remembering too, we are not gritting all the time. Some of our fleet may come off at particular junctions or return to depots while other vehicles take over, lowering any inconvenience to motorists. We are once again totally committed to working around the clock on these seasonal operations to keep all road users safe and thank everyone in advance for their patience and understanding.
“Not all roads will need treating on any given day. Gritters may need to go out in some regions if road temperatures are expected to fall below +1 degrees C, and if there is a risk of ice forming, but not in other areas if conditions are not as cold.
“National Highways is committed to treating every road which needs to be treated – whenever it is needed. We are armed with the latest technology, forecasting intelligence and years of experience to help us make informed decisions about where and when we need to spread salt to help keep road users safe in even the most adverse weather conditions.”
