A snow and ice warning for Kent this weekend has been upgraded to amber, as forecasters urge people to be prepared for heavy showers.

A yellow "be aware" warning covering the whole county was already in place for Saturday and Sunday.

Now, an amber "be prepared" warning has been issued for the north, west and parts of the east of Kent between 4pm tomorrow and 9am on Sunday.

The Met Office says a band of rain will turn more widely to snow early tomorrow morning followed by scattered snow showers through the remainder of the day.

These showers may become more prolonged, particularly during the evening.

Any melting of lying snow will lead to an ice risk on untreated surfaces tomorrow morning and night.

A spokesman said: "Travel delays on roads are likely, stranding some vehicles and passengers.

"Some delays and cancellations to rail and air travel are likely. Some injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces are expected."

It is not clear where snow will settle as showers are expected to organise into bands, but while some areas will see small amounts of the white stuff, others are likely to see 5 to 10cm.

Strongly easterly winds will also cause snow drifts, leading to "significant wind chill".

Southeastern says it will be running a normal weekend timetable, except on lines affected by planned engineering work.

But a spokesman for the rail firm added: "If the snow is heavier than forecast, we will need to make sure that routes are clear of snow and ice, which may mean that some very early morning trains on Sunday will need to be amended."

The road surface is expected to drop below freezing at 9am tomorrow.

Gritters will be out in force treating main roads across Kent and Medway to help prevent ice and frost forming.

Highways England's head of road safety, Richard Leonard, said: "Our gritter drivers will be out treating our roads around the clock but it is still important to drive to the conditions when snow is forecast.

"Make sure you keep your distance and reduce your speed if you need to travel because, even in conditions that seem normal and when the snow is not settling, it can be slippery if ice patches have formed, or where fresh salt has not been worked into the carriageway.

"Drivers should plan their journeys, monitor weather reports and pack a snow kit of blankets, food, water and a shovel if they really need to travel."

The ambulance service has also urged people only to call 999 in a serious or life-threatening emergency during the cold snap.

South East Coast Ambulance Service's regional operations manager James Pavey said: "We’re expecting a busy weekend and know that the colder weather and possible snow can make things more challenging.

"We will be prioritising our response to patients in the greatest need and at times people who are not facing a serious or life-threatening emergency may be asked to seek alternatives to an ambulance response.

Non-emergency patients are advised to call NHS 111, book a GP appointment or speak to a pharmacist.

Mr Pavey added: “All our staff and volunteers will, as ever, be working extremely hard to help people and we appreciate the continued support of the public at this busy time.”

It comes after Kent faced a week of heavy snow and travel chaos last month, as the so-called Beast from the East brought sub-zero conditions from Siberia.

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