A yellow National Severe Weather warning for snow has been issued by the Met Office, covering parts of northern England and southern Scotland.

Met Office Chief Meteorologist Dan Suri, said: “As Storm Freya continues to track eastwards tonight, rain will turn to snow over higher ground in some northern parts of England and southern Scotland.  Although most settling of snow will be over the hills, some areas at low levels may see sleet or snow falling overnight.”

“Temperatures will lower in some places tonight as Storm Freya clears into the North Sea,” continued Dan, “This means icy patches are likely to form overnight leading to tricky driving conditions for some tomorrow morning.”

Storm Freya brought winds speeds of 50-60mph widely across England and Wales on Sunday, with severe gales along exposed coasts.  The highest wind speed recorded was 76mph at Mumbles Head in south Wales.  A yellow wind warning in place for Sunday night will expire early on Monday as winds ease.

Regarding the impacts of Storm Freya, Dan said: “Where winds are strongest we can expect significant disruption to travel, with damage to buildings and trees likely. It’ll be especially dangerous near coastal areas due to the wind whipping up large waves.”

Highways England’s Head of Road Safety, Richard Leonard, said:  “We’re encouraging drivers to check the latest weather and travel conditions before setting off on journeys and consider if their journey is necessary and can be delayed until conditions improve. If you do intend to travel, then plan your journey and take extra care, allowing more time for your journey.

“In high winds, there’s a particular risk to lorries, caravans and motorbikes so we’d advise drivers of these vehicles to slow down.

“Drivers of other vehicles should be aware of sudden gusts of wind which can affect handling and braking, and give high-sided vehicles, caravans, and motorbikes plenty of space. In the event of persistent high winds we may need to close bridges to traffic for a period, so please be alert for warnings of closures and follow signed diversion routes.”

Looking ahead to next week, Deputy Chief Meteorologist Jason Kelly, said: “As Storm Freya moves into the North Sea on Monday so too will the strongest winds.  The rest of the week will be largely unsettled with further spells of wet and windy weather, but some fair weather and sunshine in places too.”