The closure comes as weather across Wales has taken a turn for the worse
There are tailbacks westbound along the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge due to a diversion(Image: Traffic Wales)
The M48 Severn Bridge has been shut due to weather conditions. According to traffic services Inrix and the AA the bridge was shut at around 5.20pm on Tuesday due to strong winds.
As of 5.50pm road sensors indicate slow moving traffic along the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge, where a diversion is in place. The westbound carriageway has patches of slow and very slow moving traffic, while the eastbound lanes are clear. The closure of the M48 Severn Bridge comes hours after a restriction was put in place.
Earlier everyone came off eastbound at J2 or westbound at J1 around the roundabouts and back on to cross the bridge, which was open until 5.20pm. Make sure you never miss Wales’ biggest updates by getting our daily newsletter
This restriction had been in place to enable the bridge to be closed quickly if weather conditions worsened, which happened.
The closure comes as weather across Wales has taken a turn from the widespread sunshine of the days prior. An unsettled, windy and wet day was forecast across Wales on Tuesday.
A Met Office spokesperson said for Tuesday: “An unsettled day ahead. Often windy, particularly around coasts and hills, with outbreaks of rain, this turning heavy and persistent from the north through the day. Maximum temperature 13°C.”
Conditions are expected to decline further on Wednesday, with snow expected to fall in some areas. Met Office weather maps show snow creeping across Wales from the early hours of Wednesday morning, affecting elevated parts of north and mid Wales. These wintry showers are predicted to persist throughout the day. At lower elevations, these showers may fall as rain.
By 6am a large white sheet can be seen covering the country from north Wales, reaching Merthyr Tydfil and Swansea. Temperatures are expected to sit at around 3°C or 4°C at this point.
By mid-morning the snow is expected to become patchy and travel eastwards. Some patches of snow will continue throughout the day.
At around midday a patch of white can be seen above Merthyr Tydfil as well as Barmouth, Builth Wells and St Asaph. More patches of snow are expected to come from the west and travel south easterly across Wales.
Steven Keates, deputy chief forecaster at the Met Office, stated: “After a spell of mild and brighter weather, the UK will turn increasingly unsettled in the coming days,” North Wales Live reported on Monday.
“A series of weather fronts will bring periods of rain, strong winds and much colder air by midweek. Wednesday could be quite a shock to the system.
“Temperatures will range from 6°C. to 10°C, but it will feel closer to low single figures for many areas in the wind. Wintry showers are likely, especially over higher ground in the north, and a widespread frost – with icy patches for some – is possible on Wednesday night.”
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