Important warning issued to drivers in the north west for this week as 'severe weather alert' set to bring snow and ice

An important warning has been issued to drivers in the north west for this week, as an 'Arctic blast' is set to bring plunging temperatures and the chance of snow and ice.

A 'severe weather alert' for snow affecting the north west region has been issued, between 3am and 11.59pm on Tuesday (January 16). Current forecasts from the Met Office show that much of the Greater Manchester region will have a high chance of snow showers.

Road users are now being advised to check ahead and plan for disruption to their journeys in a warning issued by National Highways North West, which said the low-pressure conditions could bring with it 'widespread snow'.

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National Highways have warned of possible travel delays on roads with the possibility of vehicles and passengers becoming stranded, with further delays or cancellations to rail services.

They said some rural communities could 'become temporarily cut off', along with the chance of power cuts in some areas that could also affect mobile phone coverage.

There is also a chance that untreated pavements and cycle paths could 'become impassable', with between one and three centimetres of snow currently predicted to fall over the region, including in Greater Manchester.

Particular roads that could face 'significant disruption' include the M6, M55, M57, M60, M61, M65, the western part of the M62 and the A628 (Woodhead Pass).

The warning continued: "It has the potential to bring travel disruption and will develop in two stages, complicating the forecast. Snow showers are going to feed into the Northwest region during the early hours of Tuesday, particularly along coastal areas where they will be more