ISSUED BY THE MET OFFICE AT 09:30 ON TUESDAY, 24 FEBRUARY 2004.
OVERALL RISK ASSESSMENT: THE PROBABILITY OF DISRUPTION DUE TO
SEVERE WEATHER CONDITIONS IN PART OF THE UNITED KINGDOM WITHIN THE
NEXT 120 HOURS IS 90 PERCENT.

REGIONAL RISK ASSESSMENT FOR THE OCCURRENCE OF SEVERE WEATHER
CONDITIONS BETWEEN 12:00 ON TUESDAY 24 FEBRUARY 2004 AND 12:00 ON
SUNDAY 29 FEBRUARY 2004.

NORTHERN SCOTLAND 80[ PERCENT
EASTERN SCOTLAND 80[ PERCENT
SOUTH WEST SCOTLAND 60[ PERCENT
NORTHERN IRELAND 60[ PERCENT
NORTH WEST ENGLAND 60[ PERCENT
NORTH EAST ENGLAND 80[ PERCENT
THE MIDLANDS 60[ PERCENT
WALES 60[ PERCENT
SOUTH WEST ENGLAND 50[ PERCENT
CENTRAL SOUTHERN ENGLAND 50[ PERCENT
SOUTH EAST ENGLAND 70[ PERCENT
EAST ANGLIA AND LINCOLNSHIRE 80[ PERCENT


THIS WARNING IS THE SECOND UPDATE TO THAT ISSUED AT 10:00 ON SUNDAY
22 FEBRUARY 2004.

THE MET OFFICE IS FORECASTING A STRONG FLOW OF ARCTIC AIR TO BECOME
ESTABLISHED ACROSS THE WHOLE OF THE UK BY THE EARLY HOURS OF
WEDNESDAY. SNOW SHOWERS ALREADY AFFECTING NORTHERN SCOTLAND WILL
INCREASINGLY AFFECT MANY OTHER PARTS OF THE UK AND WILL BECOME MOST
FREQUENT OVER COASTAL AND UPLAND AREAS EXPOSED TO THE STRONG
NORTHERLY WINDS. ALTHOUGH SNOW COULD OCCUR ANYWHERE OVER THE UK
THROUGH THE PERIOD, NORTHERN AND EASTERN AREAS WILL BE MOST AT RISK
FROM FREQUENT, HEAVY AND SOMETIMES SQUALLY SNOW SHOWERS GIVING
MODERATE (5-10CM) ACCUMULATIONS IN PLACES AND HEAVY (AS MUCH AS
30CM) IN A FEW EXPOSED OR UPLAND AREAS. STRONG OR GALE FORCE WINDS
AT TIMES WILL LEAD TO DRIFTING OF LYING SNOW WHILST BLIZZARD
CONDITIONS COULD OCCUR IN PLACES, ESPECIALLY THE NORTH AND EAST
WHERE WINDS COULD GUST TO OVER 60MPH. DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS
ARE EXPECTED AND IT IS LIKELY THAT SOME UNTREATED ROADS MAY BECOME
IMPASSABLE. THERE IS A MODERATE RISK THAN AN AREA OF MORE
PERSISTENT SNOW MAY AFFECT PARTS OF SW BRITAIN ON THURSDAY.

THIS WARNING WILL BE UPDATED TOMORROW, WEDNESDAY 25 FEBRUARY, UNLESS
SUPERSEDED BY FLASH MESSAGES