Snow and downpours to ease ahead of milder weekend
The wet and wintry weather that battered parts of the UK is expected to ease on Thursday ahead of a mild weekend which could see highs of up to 16C, forecasters have said.
Listen to this article
Three separate yellow weather warnings issued by the Met Office are due to expire on Thursday morning, including for snow across north and south-west England, the West Midlands and Wales, and heavy rain in the south.
Icy stretches are expected across much of Wales as temperatures fall either close to or below freezing, with forecasters advising caution on slippery pavements and road surfaces.
The unsettled weather is expected to slowly improve throughout the morning, with temperatures turning milder for the time of year by the weekend and potential highs of up to 16C in sheltered areas.
Read more: Cold health alert issued as snow expected in parts of the UK
Rain and snow will slowly ease across England and Wales on Thursday morning, though there will be ice in places
— Met Office (@metoffice) February 18, 2026
A few brighter breaks across Scotland and Northern Ireland, though some rain and hill snow edging into the west pic.twitter.com/g00240Etaf
Chief Met Office forecaster Jason Kelly said: “There is potential for rain, sleet and snow to affect parts of Wales, central England and the southern Pennines from Wednesday evening into early Thursday.
“Strong east to northeasterly winds could increase impacts, and ice is also a risk as temperatures drop overnight. We are keeping a close eye on how this weather system evolves, so do be prepared for weather warnings to change and stay up to date with the weather forecast in your area.”
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has advised drivers to avoid unnecessary journeys, carry an emergency kit and leave extra time for travel.