A yellow weather warning for snow and ice has been issued for Bury from Saturday.
The Met Office has warned that heavy snow may cause some disruption over the weekend, with the warning in place from 12pm on Saturday until 9am on Monday, January 6.
The forecaster warns that there is a small chance that power cuts will occur and other services such as mobile phone coverage may be affected. The warning covers much of the UK, including the borough and the whole of Greater Manchester.
The weather forecast shows a sunny start to Saturday in Bury with lows of -3 degrees before snow is expected at around 9pm before giving way to heavy rain on Sunday, January 5.
Travel disruption is possible, with The Met Office warning of stranded vehicles and passengers, along with delayed or cancelled rail and air travel.
There is also a slight chance that some rural communities could become cut off.
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A spokesperson for The Met Office said: “Outbreaks of rain spreading northeastwards later on Saturday and overnight into Sunday will likely be preceded by a spell of snow on its northern flank.
“Whilst there is a fair bit of uncertainty as to how far north this may spread, and how long any snow will last, significant accumulations of snow are possible, especially (but not exclusively) on hills.
“Currently, parts of the Midlands, Wales and northern England are most at risk of disruption, where 5cm or more could accumulate fairly widely, with perhaps as much as 20-30 cm over high ground of Wales and/or the Pennines.
“This, accompanied by strengthening winds, may lead to drifting of lying snow.”
However, the Met Office said that due to uncertainties, it was “quite likely” that the times would be refined as the weekend approached.
The forecaster also provided the following advice:
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Snowy, wintry weather can cause delays and make driving conditions dangerous, so to keep yourself and others safe: plan your route, checking for delays and road closures, amending your travel plans if necessary; if driving, leave more time to prepare and check your car before setting off; make sure you have essentials packed in your car in the event of any delays (warm clothing, food, water, a blanket, a torch, ice scraper/de-icer, a warning triangle, high visibility vest and an in-car phone charger).
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People cope better with power cuts when they have prepared for them in advance. It’s easy to do; consider gathering torches and batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essential items.
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People cope better when they have prepared in advance for the risk of power cuts or being cut off from services and amenities due to the snow. It’s easy to do; consider gathering torches and batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essential items.
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Be prepared for weather warnings to change quickly: when a weather warning is issued, the Met Office recommends staying up to date with the weather forecast in your area.