Early morning sleet showers hit Bolton, Greater Manchester, on February 19, 2026, creating hazardous conditions for morning travellers. The Met Office forecast a 90 per cent chance of sleet at 6:00 am before the weather changed to light rain and overcast skies.
Residents were encouraged to take care on pavements and roads as temperatures reached a maximum of 5°C but felt as low as 0°C in the early hours. Bolton Council maintained a 24-hour standby for its gritting fleet to treat major traffic routes during the freezing morning weather.
Chief Forecaster Jason Kelly from the Met Office stated that higher ground in the southern Pennines could see up to 5 cm of snow. Lower areas like Bolton were expected to see less than 2 cm, and many schools were closed for the February half-term break.
The cold snap is expected to be short-lived as warmer air moves across the region from the Atlantic. Temperatures are forecast to rise significantly, reaching as high as 16°C by the weekend of February 21, 2026.
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