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UK weather: Snow warnings remain in place in Wales after forced closure of vaccine centres

The Met Office issued a new yellow weather warning for snow in parts of Wales on Sunday

Daisy Lester
Sunday 31 January 2021 14:52 GMT
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Clearing snow around a plough which had become stuck in a drift on 21 January in Lamancha, Scotland 
Clearing snow around a plough which had become stuck in a drift on 21 January in Lamancha, Scotland  (Getty Images)

Large parts of England and Wales are facing severe ice warnings as temperatures drop across the UK into minus figures.

The Met Office issued a new yellow weather warning for snow in parts of Wales on Sunday between 11am and 6pm.

It warned that there could be up to five cm of snow in higher parts of the country, stating that "snow is expected to fall across parts of south Wales during Sunday before easing off into Sunday evening.”

There were reports of snow in Narberth, Pembrokeshire, and in Swansea on Sunday morning.

This comes after heavy snowfall in Wales forced the closure of two coronavirus vaccine centres and a test centre on Saturday. The Met Office alerted that up to six cm of snow was expected on ground above 800ft and “treacherous” road conditions were predicted in north Wales.

The closed vaccination centres were in Merthyr Tydfil and Abercynon, Rhondda Cynon Taf and the test centre in Llangollen, Denbighshire.

The centres were closed on Saturday as a precaution and are due to reopen on Sunday, according to the Cwm Taf Morgannwg health board.

Car traveling on an untreated mountain road on 24 January in Blackwood, Wales (Getty Images)

Meanwhile, the Betsi Cadwaladr health board confirmed the closure of the Llangollen test centre but said that appointments could be booked at other centres.

The health board for north Wales said extra sessions had been put on and some appointments brought forward or rearranged for those due to have their jab at one of the two centres on Saturday.

As the weather worsens, the North Wales Police warned on Twitter that road conditions were “treacherous with snow and ice.”

Last weekend in Wales, four coronavirus vaccination centres were shut as the UK faced weather warnings. Just over half of people aged 80 in Wales were given their first dose of the vaccine by the end of the weekend, which is less than the Welsh Government target of 70 per cent by Sunday.

Elsewhere, Scotland and parts of England are in line for snow overnight on Monday. Some places could be hit with as much as 20cm of snow as the wintery weather continues into next week. Scotland and Northern Ireland have already seen some snow this weekend.

It is expected that icy rain will turn to snow in the North East of England and Scotland on Tuesday while as much as 10 cm of snow is possible on Monday in areas north of Birmingham.

The Met Office have warned people in badly hit areas to be cautious of dangerous roads and prepare for the possibility of power cuts. 

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