Met Office North East weather forecast for Wednesday as snow continues

Many places in the North East woke up to snow and ice today (March 8) as overnight temperatures dropped to around -7°C in some areas.

The day will start with sunny spells giving way to thicker cloud throughout the day, with snow expected in areas close to the coast and across the north of County Durham later on.

Read more: Pictures as snow arrives across the North East as weather warnings remain in place

With top temperatures of around 4°C today, milder weather isn't expected until the weekend, with more - and heavier - snow expected in the North on Thursday.

The Met Office has attributed the conditions to an Arctic blast, and is affecting large parts of the UK.

A number of national severe warnings for snow and ice were issued, with the Met Office saying further warnings, or updates to the current warnings, are “very likely”.

Met Office chief meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said: “Snow, ice and low temperatures are the main themes of this week’s forecast, with the UK under an Arctic maritime air mass.

“Snow could lead to some travel disruption, with a chance some rural communities in the north could be cut off.

The beach huts in Blyth provided a contrast to yesterday's snow. (Image: PA)

“The focus for the snow moves to southern England and South Wales tomorrow and some may wake up to a few centimetres of snow, with the south coast and far south-west likely to see a mix of rain and sleet. Further snow and hail showers are also expected along northern coasts, especially in northern Scotland.”

Dale Hipkiss, national network manager at National Highways, urged people to pack extra provisions in vehicles in case they become stranded.

“Keeping a kit of essential items like a torch and warm clothes, in your vehicle, can be vital in case you and your passengers become stranded in winter,” he said.

“Freezing conditions bring so many hazards, such as snow and ice, and take every possible step to understand your journey in advance and allow lots of extra time when travelling to prepare for the unexpected.”

Here’s the hour-by-hour forecast for today, according to the Met Office:

9am – -1°C, sunny intervals, feels like -4°C

10am – 1°C, sunny intervals, feels like -2°C

11am – 3°C, sunny intervals, feels like 0°C

12pm – 3°C, cloudy, feels like 0°C

1pm – 3°C, cloudy, feels like 0°C

2pm – 3°C, cloudy, feels like -1°C

3pm – 3°C, overcast, feels like 0°C

4pm – 3°C, sunny intervals, feels like -1°C

5pm – 2°C, cloudy, feels like -1°C

6pm – 1°C, cloudy, feels like -2°C

7pm – 1°C, cloudy, feels like -2°C

8pm – 1°C, cloudy, feels like -3°C

9pm – 0°C, cloudy, feels like -3°C

10pm – 0°C, cloudy, feels like -3°C

11pm – 0°C, overcast, feels like -3°C

This forecast is for Durham, however conditions are expected to be similar across the whole of the North East.

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The UK Health and Security Agency has issued a Level 3 Cold Weather Alert for the whole of England.

The agency’s head of extreme events and health protection, Dr Agostinho Sousa, said people should check on vulnerable relatives and told pensioners and anyone with an underlying health condition to heat their home to at least 18C.