More gales and snow expected as winter weather batters Britain

Snow falls at Carter Bar on the Northumberland border.

THE first snow of winter is expected in some areas of Yorkshire this week and more gales after fierce winds brought disruption to Britain’s transport and power networks.

The Met Office issued yellow “be aware” weather alerts for wind, with gusts as high as 70mph expected in exposed areas, for today.

Snow is expected to fall on Tuesday, including in areas which escaped the thick snow on Boxing Day.

Forecaster Calum MacColl, from the Met Office, said: “The likelihood is there will be snow falls, definitely over the hills and even at low levels sleet and wet snow.”

There are warnings of gale-force winds on Wednesday and Thursday, with the risk of localised disruption to transport and possibly power supplies in the region, as a deepening area of low pressure tracks across the UK.

High Bradfield in South Yorkshire where winds of 76mph were recorded last Friday night could again see winds touching 70mph.

Yesterday thousands of people in Scotland, where winds recently reached up to 113mph, were spending a third day without electricity, with the Western Isles, Wick, Dingwall and parts of Inverness-shire the worst-hit areas.

On Friday night North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue were called to a series of HGV-related incidents on the A1, including one at Baldersby, near Ripon, where they rescued a 75-year-old man who was taken to hospital with minor injuries after his truck blew over. Crews also dealt with another lorry which had its sides and roof blown off on the A1 at Leeming Bar and where the driver had to be led to safety.