January weather: Met Office issues Yellow weather warning for ice across North East for January 2023 bank holiday

Families planning to get out and about across the region on Bank Holiday Monday (January 2) are being warned to prepare for icy patches on cycle paths, pavements and roads, with some sleet or snow showers possible in parts of the North East.

Issuing the alert on New Year’s Day (Sunday, January 1), the Met Office said the warning covers Darlington, Durham, Gateshead, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, Northumberland, Redcar and Cleveland, South Tyneside, Stockton-on-Tees and Sunderland. The Scottish Borders, parts of Yorkshire and parts of the North West are also affected.

The warning states: “Following recent wet conditions surfaces are likely to remain wet into Monday morning and with a cold night icy stretches will readily form on untreated surfaces. A few rain, sleet and snow showers may still affect these areas overnight but ice remains the main hazard.”

At time of writing, the Yellow warning will come into action at midnight on Monday, and run until 11am that same day. Forecasters have said to be wary of slips and falls on icy surfaces, as well as icy patches on untreated routes.

Meanwhile, the forecast for the week ahead predicts milder weather from Tuesday, January 3 with some rain and the wind picking up. Very windy conditions and rain are currently expected to continue into Wednesday, January 4 before easing on Thursday, January 5.

Temperatures could hit a high of 10°C during the first week of January.