Wakefield weather: Met Office warns of snow and 'wintry hazards' across Wakefield, Pontefract, Featherstone and Castleford

Wakefield, like the rest of the UK, is under the influence of high pressure, which is bringing colder than average weather for the time of year, and a marked reduction in rainfall amounts following a wet start to January, say the weather experts.

The Met Office has warned that these cold and largely dry conditions will persist through much of the rest of this week.

Across the weekend, Wakefield will see lows of -2C with a significant wind chill despite brighter days.

By Sunday, a northerly airflow develops.

The Met Office’s Aidan McGivern said: “A cold front from the north towards the weekend will mark another change in the airmass for the UK, moving from something with a bit of an Atlantic influence to air that comes more directly from the Arctic.”

Met Office head of situational awareness Will Lang said: “There will be a resurgence in the really cold weather through the weekend and that spreads across the whole of the UK during the early part of next week.

"Initially, this means there will be more in the way of showers around the coasts, turning increasingly to snow for many areas, especially further north.”