EAST Lancashire was bracing itself for more snow today after the Met Office issued a weather warning for the county.

Heavy flurries affected the Grane Road through Hyndburn and Rossendale last night, while weather forecasts were predicting that areas could be waking up to sleet or snow coverings today after wintry weather swept up the UK.

Lighter snow falls were predicted for today but there is no suggestion of difficulties as Saturday progresses, though Bacup and Accrington may be exceptions.

A Met Office spokesman said: “An area of rain, sleet and snow is expected to spread eastwards across the area before clearing.

“Some uncertainty surrounds how much snow will occur, but several centimetres of snow is likely even at low levels.”

Daytime temperatures will hover around three or four degrees across most of Blackburn, Burnley and Accrington, into next week, with below freezing conditions every night until Wednesday.

Snow flurries were expected on higher ground in Bacup last night and sleet was a definite possibility in both Darwen and Barnoldswick either side of midnight.

An 80 per cent chance of possible disruption to travel arrangements and a potential risk to vulnerable patients forms part of an ‘amber’ weather warning by the Met Office.

The agency said there was some uncertainty about which regions will see snow, but where it does fall there could be accumulations of between 2cm (0.8in) and 4cm (1.6in) and in excess of 10cm in areas of higher ground.

In East Lancashire the coldest area is likely to be Bacup over the next few days, with an indication that temperatures will plummet to either minus one or minus two degrees.

Serious mist problems have been predicted for nearby Todmorden for most of tomorrow afternoon and evening, with similar sub-zero temperatures expected.

Similar mist and fog issues are also said to be in prospect for Clitheroe, lasting for most of Sunday and not expected to fully lift before the end of Tuesday.