Following a week of snow in many parts of the country, the Met Office has issued a severe weather warning over heavy snowfall, particularly affecting Wales and the West of England where blizzard conditions are possible due to strong winds.

A red warning has been issued for upland parts of south Wales, where up to 30 cm of snow is possible over the hills and blizzard conditions are likely. Other parts of Western, Central and Southern England are under amber warning, where 20 cm or more of snow may fall over hills.

The Met Office warned people in zones covered by its red warning to consider changing their plans and avoiding dangerous areas. Andy Page, the office's Chief Forecaster, said, "The snow is expected to be heaviest during Friday morning across Wales and the southern half of England. Clearly there is the potential for significant disruption to peoples' plans. We should follow the advice of the emergency services and local authorities to help keep ourselves, our families and our communities safe in light of the forecast."

In December, HMRC announced that farmers will be permitted to use red diesel in their tractors to help grit and clear snow from public roads this winter, in recognition of work carried out to help isolated communities in past years, particularly in Scotland.

Although condtions are set to become more severe towards the end of the week, over the weekend Met Office forecasters suggest the situation will ease, with snow turning to outbreaks of rain and sleet. However, they warned that cold temperatures could make icy conditions more of a risk, especially at night.

Welsh meat industry body Hybu Cig Cymru urged farmers to take special precautions during this week's harsh conditions, and offered advice for looking after livestock as blizzards are expected to set in.  

Group spokesperson Dewi Hughes said, "Snow is a cause of concern for sheep farmers in Wales, particularly if it turns out to last more than a few days. This weekend sheep farmers could be in for a tough time.

"A correctly managed maintenance diet is all that’s needed to help keep sheep in good condition during periods of heavy snowfall." He said a 55 kg ewe will need about 8-9 megajoules per day in such cold weather, or one small bale for every 30 ewes per day.

Mr Hughes advised, "If the hills are covered in deep snow or sheep are on improved pastures with no forage available, start feeding restricted amounts of hay on the ground – an amount equivalent to what they can clear up in an hour or two. But if you can only use low quality hay or straw, ewes will also need access to feed blocks for protein and minerals."

More information from the Welsh Government on animal welfare considerations during severe weather can be found here