The Met Office‘s long-range outlook says Kirkby and the wider Merseyside region could face snow and ice beginning Monday, 9 February 2026. Meteorologists say an Arctic/northerly airmass is expected to replace the recent mild conditions, bringing a risk of freezing temperatures and wintry showers to the area.
Knowsley Council says its winter gritting service provides 24/7 highway temperature monitoring from November to March and targets primary routes — including the A580 (East Lancashire Road) and the A506 (Valley Road) — for treatment when forecasts or road temperatures indicate it is needed. The council’s priority network also includes transport interchanges and bus stations.
Train services may also be affected. Merseyrail and Network Rail say they activate cold-weather plans across the Merseyrail network (including the Northern Line) when conditions demand it. Operators apply specialist anti-ice treatment to the electrified third rail and will run trains overnight or use diesel clearing/rescue trains where necessary to reduce ice-related disruption to services into Liverpool.
Forecasters currently expect the cold snap to last through the middle of February, with the greatest snowfall most likely in northern England — but modelling has higher confidence in the cold conditions than in precise snowfall totals. Residents are encouraged to check for updated Met Office warnings and travel updates later this week as the situation becomes clearer.
About this article: This story was put together with the help of AI tools and checked by a real person on our team. We're a small crew trying to cover as much of the UK as we can on a limited budget. We're getting better every day - but we're not perfect yet. If something looks off, let us know. You're part of the process.
