Yellow weather warnings are currently in place across northern England today as Greater Manchester wakes up under a blanket of snow.
After forecasts have been suggesting for the past couple of days that the UK would be faced with a cold snap this week, and weather experts have been predicting that a covering of the white stuff would fall on much of Scotland, Northern Ireland, northern England, and the North West in particular today, Greater Manchester has, in fact, woken up to a blanket of snow across the region this morning.
And snow is still falling in many places too, at the time of writing.
As the predictions have turned out to be true, the Met Office has issued several weather warnings for the day – including a yellow weather warning for snow and ice throughout Greater Manchester.
🌨️ Outbreaks of sleet and snow becoming more persistent this morning in parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England
Brighter spells in Wales and southern and central England with crisp winter sunshine
According to the Met Office, the North West’s yellow weather warning will be in place until Thursday evening, and it means further that snow showers, which may “merge into a longer spell of snow”, are likely to “cause disruption” for most of the day today (16 January).
But what exactly should we expect from the day then? And what does this yellow weather warning actually mean?
Here’s what the Met Office has said could happen:
Possible travel delays on roads, stranding some vehicles and passengers
Power cuts may occur, with the potential to affect other services – such as mobile phone coverage
Possible delays or cancellations to rail and air travel
A chance of injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces
Some rural communities could become cut off
Yellow weather warning issued as Greater Manchester wakes up under blanket of snow / Credit: Geograph | Pexels
Giving further insight into what’s coming up today and throughout this week, a Met Office spokesperson has commented: “Snow showers will continue to feed inland early on Tuesday morning across northern and western Scotland, parts of Wales, and North West England, where 2-5 cm of snow is possible over a few hours in some places.
“During the day, an area of more organised rain, sleet and snow is likely to move east with further showers following.
The UK is now in the grip of a cold plunge of Arctic air which has moved in from the north across the whole for the country❄️
“There is still some uncertainty in the track of more prolonged snow, and it is possible that at lower elevations across Wales and northern England, this could turn to rain for a time. However, there is a chance some places could see 5-10 cm perhaps 20 cm of snow, particularly across the northern half of Scotland and over higher ground elsewhere.”
Greater Manchester residents are being advised to take extra care, plan and allow more time for any journeys needing to be made, and keep an eye on the Met Office website for weather updates.
You can star in your own series of Taskmaster in a castle near Greater Manchester this summer
Clementine Hall
Are you ready to channel your inner comedian? Great, because Taskmaster is coming up north.
Well…sort of.
The beloved (and hilarious) show is bringing a family-friendly version to Beeston Castle and Gardens, which is a picturesque English Heritage site in the rural Beeston area of Tarporley in Cheshire, and you are invited to try your hand at the wacky tasks yourselves.
From now right up until Sunday 31 August, visitors can take part in the ridiculous challenges inspired by the hit TV show.
In partnership with English Heritage, it’s appropriate for all ages and a fantastic day out for all the family.
Contestants will pick up their score card on arrival before exploring the site and getting involved in tasks along the way.
Whether you’re a die-hard fan of the popular comedy show or a complete newbie, this Taskmaster experience guarantees a hilarious day out in the Cheshire countryside… and don’t worry, Greg Davies and Alex Horne won’t be judging your efforts along the way either – phew.
“We are delighted to be collaborating with the Taskmaster team this summer,” commented Beth Stone, who is the Head of Visitor Engagement and Experience at English Heritage.
You can star in your own series of Taskmaster near Greater Manchester this summer / Credit: Jim Holden (via English Heritage)
“From tasks such as becoming a monarch and making your own laws, to creating your own solstice, our visitors can expect a host of fun with a history twist at many of our properties, and of course, plenty of rubber ducks.”
Alex Horne, creator and star of Taskmaster, added: “It’s nice to go to nice places, but it’s even nicer to do fun things in those nice places – and this should ensure you can do just that for this summer at least.”
To find out more, take a look at English Heritage’s website here.
Featured Image – English Heritage
News
Classical musician Hauser announces huge arena gig in Manchester later this year
Thomas Melia
Croatian cellist and former member of classical band 2CELLOS, Hauser, has announced a tour including an arena date in Manchester this year.
World-class musician Stjepan Hauser, known professionally as Hauser, is getting ready to pack his cello and cheeky smile as he embarks on ‘The Rebel Is Back’ tour.
Hauser has amassed a worldwide cult following of classical music lovers, by not only respecting the genre, but evolving it too by intertwining his cello skills into modern day pop hits.
The cellist has covered lots of current pop songs while part of musical duo 2CELLOS like ‘We Found Love’, ‘Despacito’, and ‘Viva La Vida’.
You can also expect to hear covers of some of music’s greatest compositions, including the timeless opera classic ‘Nessun Dorma’, and highly-adored ballet piece ‘Swan Lake’.
Recently, Hauser has teamed up with London Symphony Orchestra to reimagine Ennio Morricone’s ‘Le Vent, le cri’, taken from the 1981 French film Le Professionnel.
Hauser has performed in over 40 countries and played at some of the most prestigious venues across the world – including Royal Albert Hall and Sydney Opera House.
He’s also become a social media sensation, capturing people’s attention via his videos playing his cello in a variety of interesting locations like a swimming pool, at the desert, and even on the famous Brooklyn Bridge.
Classical musician Hauser announces huge arena gig in Manchester later this year / Credit: Stefan Brending (via Wikimedia Commons)
You’ll be able to identify a lot of the tracks played out when Hauser visits AO Arena, as his upcoming album titled Cinema, features a wide variety of soundtracks and film theme tunes.
The highly-anticipated LP from Hauser contains ‘What Was I Made For?’ from Barbie, ‘Mission: Impossible’, ‘A Time For Us’ from Romeo and Juliet, alongside lots more motion picture melodies.
The musician is quite familiar with Manchester city city centre too, Hauser studied at Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester before taking the classical world by storm.
Emily Sergeant -
16th January 2024 
