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The North East has been urged to prepare for potentially disruptive snow and ice early next week, with forecasters warning of hazardous conditions across the region. The Met Office has issued a 24-hour yellow weather warning starting from 10am on Monday, November 18, through to 10am on Tuesday, November 19, as cold Arctic air sweeps in, bringing freezing temperatures and wintry showers.

The warning covers the entire region, including Northumberland, Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland, and County Durham, as well as stretching further afield to parts of Scotland and Yorkshire.

What to Expect

Forecasters predict a mix of rain, sleet, and snow across the region, with the heaviest snowfall likely on higher ground, where up to 10-20cm could accumulate. There is also a small chance of snow settling at lower levels, which could cause significant disruption. As temperatures drop overnight, untreated surfaces may become icy, leading to slippery roads and pavements.

Travel disruption is possible, with delays to road, rail, and air services. Drivers are being advised to check for updates and amend travel plans if necessary.

Top Tips for Driving in Snow and Ice

Stock Up on Winter Essentials

  • Keep de-icer, a good-quality ice scraper, and a shovel in your car at all times. It’s also vital to ensure your screenwash is topped up with a formula capable of working at temperatures of at least -10°C. Many cheap screenwash solutions only work down to -2°C, which isn’t adequate for the UK’s winter conditions.

Check the Forecast and Plan Ahead

  • Before setting off, check the latest weather updates and traffic conditions. Stick to major roads wherever possible, as these are more likely to be gritted and cleared.

Prepare Your Vehicle

  • Ensure your windscreen, mirrors, and roof are completely cleared of snow and ice.
  • Check that your tyres are in good condition with adequate tread depth for grip.

Adjust Your Driving Style

  • Reduce your speed and maintain a larger gap between you and the vehicle in front, as stopping distances can increase significantly on icy roads.
  • Use gentle steering, acceleration, and braking to avoid skidding.

Carry an Emergency Kit

  • Always have essentials like a blanket, warm clothes, snacks, water, a phone charger, a torch, and a first-aid kit in your car.

Stay in Control

  • If your car begins to skid, steer gently into the skid and avoid harsh braking. In snowy conditions, start in a higher gear to reduce wheel spin when pulling away.

Keep Updated

Widespread snow can be tricky to predict in advance, so it’s crucial to stay up to date with the latest forecasts. You can follow the Met Office and your local Council for live updates on weather warnings and gritting schedules.

For learners and newly qualified drivers, navigating snow and ice can be daunting. At Shift Driving School, we offer practical advice and training to help you feel more confident in challenging weather conditions.

Remember, it’s always better to arrive late than not at all. Stay safe and drive carefully!

I passed my driving test last weekend, I want to say huge thanks to my instructor Lisa baour, she's been amazing mentor throughout the process. I'm from different country and I didn't have any driving experience before, so I had to learn everything from the scratch, she's been calm and polite from the very beginning, that help me lot to boost my confidence and take out my driving nervousness. Thank you so much Lisa and shift for making me a better driver, i higly recommend Lisa and shift, you won't be disappointed..cheers 🍻🍻
100% recommend Shift to anyone looking to learn. Simon is an excellent instructor, so calm and confident, took his time to understand me and how I learn best so that I could become a confident driver. Passed today with only 1 minor fault!
I highly recommend Shift Driving School Gateshead for beginners or anyone with some prior experience. Their website is excellent, and the app is incredibly user friendly, it makes booking lessons, tracking progress, making payments, and setting your availability so simple.

One of the things that impressed me most was how quickly Shift matched me with an instructor. Within a week of purchasing my package, I was driving. Other companies I contacted took over two weeks just to respond and told me I’d be waiting up to five weeks for an instructor. Choosing Shift was definitely the best decision I made.

I had Simon as my instructor, and he was fantastic. He was super flexible with my hectic schedule, gave me honest and constructive feedback, and used the app to track my progress so I could clearly see what I needed to work on and what I was already doing well. This made the lessons streamlined and efficient.

Simon also gave me the confidence to believe I was ready before I even felt it myself and he was right. Thanks to his teaching, I passed my driving test with zero faults (not even a single minor!).

Overall, Shift offers great cars (Mercedes 😉), an easy to use system, and most importantly, excellent instructors. Huge thanks to Simon for making the learning experience such a positive one!
Highly recommend Shift Driving School. They were an absolute pleasure to deal with from start to finish. Special shout out to my instructor Hassan, who taught me from scratch in just under 6 months. I had no previous driving experience at all and he talked through the steps and skills needed clearly, always supportively pushing me to be my best. Delighted to have passed at first attempt! Couldn’t have done it without the team at Swift and Hassan. Thank you!
Passed with Simon today! He’s an outstanding instructor, so much patience and understanding, especially for neurodivergent learners. My confidence developed massively whilst learning with Simon. Also big shout out to the whole team, especially Lewis, for being so reassuring when I first reached out about lessons. I’d recommend these guys to anyone.
I 10000000% recommend this driving school my instructor has been appsalutly amazing he had so much patience and really helped me through all my lessons then he recommend me a nervous course which really helped me as I really struggled with my nerve on my test but I finally done it and passed my test and I wouldn't have been able to do it if it wasn't for lewis so thank u sooooo much :)
Lewis is a great instructor very patient, clear, and encouraging he made learning to drive feel easy and enjoyable highly recommend.
What a great company to not only learn to drive with, but to actually work with too. We would highly recommend Shift without a doubt.
Highly recommend Shift Driving School. They were an absolute pleasure to deal with from start to finish. Special shout out to my instructor Hassan, who taught me from scratch in just under 6 months. I had no previous driving experience at all and he talked through the steps and skills needed clearly, always supportively pushing me. Delighted to have passed at first attempt! Couldn’t have done it without the team at Shift and Hassan. Thank you!
I just passed my driving test. With many thanks to Simon instructor at Shift driving school. I learned a lot and Simon was very patient and guide me well. I am grateful for the excellent teaching and kind lessons I had. Definitely recommend.