Drivers are being urged to fill up their cars so they are at least 'half full' with petrol or diesel on Thursday this week. British Gas has issued a slate of advice to households and to drivers to help them prepare for cold and snowy weather. It’s hihgly relevant again this week as the Met Office has forecast more snow across various parts of the UK, especially on Wednesday night into Thursday morning.
Most of the Midlands, parts of northern England and a lot of the south of England and Wales, including Manchester, Birmingham, Reading, Milton Keynes and Cambridge, can expect snow, especially on higher ground, early on Thursday morning, the Met Office's latest weather maps show.
The forecaster has also issued a yellow weather warning for 26 areas of the UK from 4pm on Wednesday until 6am on Thursday.
British Gas, in its advice to drivers, urges motorists to prepare their car for snow by having their brakes, heater, tyres and windscreen wipers checked to make sure they’re in good working order. And it adds that in snowy conditions, you should keep your tank half full.
It says: “Have your brakes, heater, tyres and windscreen wipers checked to make sure they're in good working order before winter.
“And if you can keep your fuel tank half full during snowy conditions, all the better.”
The theory behind this is that it prevents condensation and fuel line freezing, and you will have plenty of fuel for journeys where you may end up slower than normal due to travel disruption, as well as using fuel to run heaters and lights, so having a tank at least half full reduces the risk of running out in the snow (if you must travel at all).
The Met Office said in its weather warning for Wednesday into Thursday: "A period of snow could bring some disruption to parts of Wales and central England later Wednesday and overnight into Thursday.
"Whilst there is some uncertainty in the details, there is the potential for an area of rain and snow to affect parts of Wales and central England later on Wednesday and overnight into Thursday.
"2-5 cm of snow could accumulate quite widely above 150-200 metres, with perhaps as much as 10-15 cm above 250-300 metres in mid and southeast Wales, as well as Herefordshire and Shropshire. Some small accumulations of snow, typically less than 2 cm, are possible to lower elevations, especially from later Wednesday evening into the early hours of Thursday morning.
"Strong east to northeasterly winds will accompany the wet weather, which could exacerbate impacts in places."
