West Country plunges under yellow warning for fog

A yellow alert for fog has come into force, with the Met Office warning the weather could cause travel disruption including flight delays or cancellations.

The weather warning will be in effect until 11am on Thursday and covers large swathes of England, from Exeter to Oxford, Birmingham, Peterborough and York, as well as parts of Wales.

The fog will create difficult driving conditions, may mean slower journey times and delays to bus and train services, and could disrupt flight travel, according to the Met Office.

Some of the UK's busiest airports saw disruption around Christmas time as thick fog blanketed the country, with delays at Heathrow, Luton and Manchester airports.

Flights were also disrupted earlier this month as snow, ice and heavy winds prompted runway closures or pauses to operations at with Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol airports.

Read more: Bristol Airport hit with delays and cancellations amid heavy snow

Met Office meteorologist Clare Nasir said: "The issue will be over the next few days, fog, as well as some pockets of frost as well where we see clearer skies.

"In fact, that's how we see this evening and overnight, stubborn cloud anywhere from the Midlands, East Anglia down towards the South East. A lot of cloud across the north west of Scotland, with some outbreaks of rain in between, some clearer skies.

"Now, a few things happen through this evening and into Thursday. The cloud increases across Northern Ireland, you've seen some lovely sunshine today, more cloud through tomorrow.

"Elsewhere with those clearer skies, we'll see probably some pockets of frost, so temperatures dipping close to freezing, if not below, and again, with a lighter breeze, fog will re-form anywhere from central and southern parts of England and Wales down towards the west country.

"First thing then tomorrow morning, the fog, yet again, could be slow to clear.

"A cold start across Wales, Northern England, southern Scotland. More cloud to begin Thursday across Northern Ireland, the central belt of Scotland, towards the north west."

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