SNOW has swept across the UK today leaving chaotic conditions for many – and more is forecast to land this week.
The chilly weather has led to some treacherous conditions on roads, as well as train cancellations and school closures.
Parts of the UK are braced for more snowy conditions[/caption]
A yellow weather warning is in place for some areas[/caption]
Setting takes only a few seconds to set-up[/caption]
Three yellow weather warnings for snow and ice across different areas of the UK have been issued by the Met Office, covering over the Midlands, northern England, parts of Northern Ireland, north east Wales and sections of Northern Ireland.
And there could be more trouble tomorrow, with further warnings in place for snow and ice.
A yellow alert has been issued along the east coast of Scotland and England from Berwickshire to Suffolk from 6pm today to midday on Wednesday.
While Blighty’s weather can be pretty unpredictable at times there is a handy iPhone trick that could spare you some of the snow chaos.
Apple’s very own Weather app will let you know minutes before snow is about to hit your current location, so you can plan accordingly.
It’ll also ping you when snow is due to end.
The feature is all part of the default Apple Weather app already on your iPhone.
Away from snow, it works for things like rain as well.
All you need to do is set it up in a matter of seconds so you’re not caught out by snow or any other weather changes.
Find out how below.
IPHONE SNOW ALERTS
To begin, you’ll need to make sure the Weather app has access to your location so it can give you the right predictions.
You can do this by going to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > Weather.
Choose Always, and turn on Precise Location.
Next, head into the Weather app.
Select the menu button located in the bottom right corner, the one that looks like three bullet-points.
Next, tap on the menu icon in the top right (the one with three dots inside a circle).
Go to Notifications.
You should see a section called Current Location, which has two options below it called Severe Weather and Next-Hour Precipitation.
Turn the two on.
Both are very handy but it’s the Next-Hour Precipitation warnings that do the trick for those snow weather alerts.
“Next-hour precipitation forecasts and precipitation notifications are available for Australia, Ireland, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States,” Apple says.
“The information is provided by Apple using data from national weather services.”
Can you miss work if it’s snowing and do you get paid for snow days?
ANYONE looking forward to a snow day should double-check their work contract to see if they get paid for time off.
Senior Consumer Reporter Olivia Marshall explains your rights.
Your boss can’t force you to travel to work in dangerous conditions, but they don’t have to pay you either.
You may need to work from home, take unpaid leave, or make up the hours later.
Check your office handbook and contract for extreme weather policies.
If your office closes but you were ready to work, your company can’t dock your pay.
Employers can’t force you to take holiday without notice.
You should get paid in full if your hours are reduced due to weather conditions.
Generally, you can’t take time off just because it’s cold, but employers must provide a reasonable level of comfort.
The Health and Safety Executive suggests offices should be at least 16 degrees Celsius.
Employers should consider flexible working hours and extra breaks.
Legally, you can take time off to look after dependants in emergencies, such as school closures.
This time is usually unpaid unless stated in your contract.
Inform your employer as soon as possible about your situation.
Make sure to explain the reason for your absence and how long it will last.
Those with worker status rather than employee status need to arrange with their employer.
For more detailed advice, visit the Citizens Advice website.
